Fii's initial awkwardness at dressing in only a ceremonial garb gradually lessened as she found herself caught up in the rhythm and flow of the ceremony. The sun had begun to sink, painting the sky with deep oranges and pinks, as she made her way to the village center. Despite the apprehension from being mostly bare in front of the entire tribe, she noticed several other women in the village wearing the same attire, their bodies similarly adorned with patterns of virelo paint.

  I guess it really wasn't as unusual here as it felt.

  A fire had been lit in the central clearing, its flames casting long, dancing shadows against the surrounding houses. The people had gathered around in small, chattering groups. She noticed children playing games near the edges of the gathering, and old folks watching from comfortable spots on the ground or on simple wooden stools.

  Her skin prickled as some turned their gazes on her. She wasn't sure if the nervous churning in her stomach was due to the virelo paint, or simply the fact that she was feeling shy again. Maybe it was both.

  It didn't seem to matter much to the Kurigali. Most either nodded politely or didn't pay her much heed at all.

  She trudged behind Barathi, trying to keep her gaze focused ahead, but her attention kept diverting to the other women in her clothing—or lack thereof. Some were older, others closer to her age. Their bodies, like hers, were covered in various vibrant paints. They all wore the same basic garb, but the styles varied in their details.

  Maybe she had just blocked it out of her mind, or maybe the sudden deluge of sensory overload from the music and people was to blame, but she finally noticed that several men were also wearing little more than loincloths. Their bodies were painted too, and their attention seemed split between her and everything else going on at once.

  As they reached the village square, Barathi motioned for Fii to sit on a small mat laid out beside the bonfire. The fire was large, surrounded by a ring of stones. Small logs were being fed into it, sending sparks flickering into the air, and the smoke rose in a steady column. The orange light seemed to give everything a dreamy, otherworldly quality.

  Fii hesitated, but slowly sank down to sit on the mat. The heat from the fire was intense, and she could feel the sweat trickling down her back. The flames snapped and crackled, adding a touch of uncertainty to the evening.

  Then, the drumming started. It began slow, a steady pulse that seemed to resonate with the flickering flames. Soon, voices joined the rhythm, a deep, resonant chant in their native tongue. Fii tried to listen, to pick out any words she recognized, but it was a struggle.

  Mambo Naya arrived shortly thereafter. She wore a bright headdress adorned with colorful beads and feathers. She held a staff in her hand, tapping the ground in time with the drumbeats. Her gaze swept through the village square, taking in the various groups of people.

  Fii fidgeted. Sitting and not doing anything was driving her nuts. She turned to look at Barathi.

  "So, um, what happens now?"

  "You have a long night ahead," she replied, a small smile playing on her lips. "Tonight, you will experience what it truly means to be a Kurigali. To be one with the spirits and one with your heritage. Don't worry. Just... trust the process."

  Fii felt her heart race and the nerves crawling back up. "Just how exactly do I—"

  She cut her words short as Mambo Naya approached, her gaze focused on Fii. She leaned on her staff and smiled, the light from the fire casting dancing shadows across her face.

  "Are you prepared?" Naya asked, her voice loud enough for only them to hear.

  Prepared? Fii wasn't sure she'd been prepared for any of this, really. She swallowed back a lump in her throat. "Yeah, I think so." The words came out a little shakier than she wanted.

  Naya's gaze lingered on her, sharp and searching, as if she could see through the thin bravado Fii was trying to put up. Finally, she turned, gesturing for Fii to follow her toward a large, flat stone half-buried in the earth. Naya tapped the ground with her staff, the sound of wood on stone echoing sharply through the square.

  The drums immediately stopped, and a hush fell over the village.

  "The Trial of Binding," Naya began, her voice carrying through the stillness, "is a trial of self and spirit. You are here to ground yourselves, to find the connection between your body and the earth beneath you. It is the first step on your path, the foundation upon which all else will be built. Without this bond, all other trials would break you."

  Naya extended her hand. "Sit."

  Fii looked at the stone and then back to Naya. What was she supposed to do? This was so damn confusing. Still, she slowly lowered herself down and sat cross-legged on the ground, her bare skin pressing against the cool, hard surface.

  One by one, the other Kurigali—all in their painted bodies and minimal clothing—joined her, each finding their place on a flat rock. Naya walked to each, laying a hand on their shoulder, whispering something in their ear.

  Fii felt eyes on her back, the weight of those gazes prickling against her skin like tiny needles. She shifted, trying to settle, but she couldn't shake the feeling of being on display. It didn't help that she was barely clothed and had symbols painted on her skin.

  Naya arrived at her, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Tell me, Fii. What do you know of the earth?"

  "The earth?" she repeated, trying to hide the wobble in her voice. "Um, well, it's... it's there. It's always there. We walk on it."

  She wasn't sure what answer to give. Sure, Edith had made her read a lot about it, knew the science behind it, but something told her that wasn't what she was asking. Not to mention she used gravity in her everyday life...

  Mambo Naya made a thoughtful noise, then continued. "Yes, it's always there. We walk on it, we build on it, and it supports us. It is our strength, our stability, and our anchor. To the Kurigali, the earth is more than just ground; it is a living spirit that connects us all. In this trial, you'll learn to feel that connection, to bind yourself to the earth and to the ancestors who walked the path before you. It's the first step in becoming one with the Loa."

  She released Fii's shoulder and stood back, addressing all the young Kurigali now sitting on the stones around the bonfire in their native tongue. Then she turned back to Fii, speaking in Common again.

  "I told you before that your spirit is divided. There is a fragmentation within you—your power pulls in one direction, and your spirit pulls in another. This imbalance will weaken you, if you allow it."

  Fii blinked, feeling a faint twinge of defensiveness rising up. How could she possibly know all that just from looking at her? She'd never even seen her use her powers.

  But as much as she wanted to push back, there was something about the weight of Naya's words that made her pause. "But I feel fine. I feel... pretty together, actually."

  "It is not something that can be seen on the outside. You're strong—very strong—and you wield power. But that does not mean your spirit is whole. Tonight, you'll take the first step in mending this division and bringing your spirit in line with your strength."

  "Oh... so, what do I do about it?"

  Naya's gaze softened, just a fraction. "You learn to listen. To feel the pull of the earth beneath you, to trust in the weight that anchors you. This is the Trial of Binding, Fii. You must embrace the earth, let it hold you, or you will never find balance."

  "What will happen if I don't do it?"

  "The fragmentation of your spirit will grow. Your powers will feel like they are separate from you, like a force not your own. You will find it harder to reach them, to command them as you do now."

  Naya's grip on her shoulder tightened, just for a second, before releasing her. She didn't wait for a response from Fii; instead, she turned away and began speaking to the assembled Kurigali in her native tongue again.

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  As Mambo Naya addressed the other initiates, Fii watched her, unable to shake the sense of unease that had settled over her.

  This was all so... out there. Yet, despite her reservations, there was a part of her that wanted to believe. A part that yearned for the connection to her Kurigali heritage—to feel that she belonged somewhere. And if there was any chance this would help her save Edith... well, she was willing to try just about anything.

  Once Naya had finished her address, Barathi stepped forward to translate for Fii. "She has asked everyone to begin. All you have to do is sit and listen. Feel the earth beneath you, connect to it. Let everything else fade away."

  "That's it?" Fii's voice carried a note of surprise, maybe even a touch of disappointment.

  "That's it. But it's much more difficult than it sounds. Trust me." Barathi smiled, then moved on to the next group of initiates, leaving Fii alone with the drumbeats and the crackling of the fire.

  Fii closed her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to relax. The ground beneath her felt solid, hard, and not very inviting. Her feet tapped nervously to the rhythm of the drums, the noise grating slightly with each beat.

  "Relax," she muttered under her breath. "You can do this. Just... listen."

  She focused on the heat of the bonfire, on the steady beat of the drums. The smells of ash and smoke tickled her nose, and the crackle of the fire popped in her ears. But she didn't feel any more connected to the earth than before.

  Several minutes passed, and Fii shifted uncomfortably. Her bare skin stuck to the stone, making her skin itch and ache at the same time. The drums continued their rhythmic beat, but she felt nothing more than what she already did. If this was meant to forge a connection with the earth, she was failing.

  A soft breeze swept through the square, and the gentle touch on Fii's bare skin made her shiver. It offered some relief to her heated skin, but it wasn't enough to keep her focus. Her eyes darted around the clearing, watching the other participants in their trance-like states. Envy surged through her at their apparent calm.

  Why couldn't she do this? What was she missing?

  She tried again, closing her eyes and trying to drown out the distractions. But everything seemed to catch her attention—the flicker of firelight on her eyelids, the scrape of her skin against stone, the distant murmur of voices from the village, and the ever-present beat of the drums. It was like the world refused to let her slip into the peace she needed.

  "You can do this," she whispered to herself, frustration lacing her words. "Just... listen. Connect. Be one with the earth. Whatever that means."

  But the earth remained stubbornly silent, and Fii's connection to it was as distant as ever.

  Hmm...

  There was one thing she could try.

  She concentrated, focusing her power to gradually increase her weight on the stone. If the goal was to somehow sync up with the earth, maybe that would work.

  Besides, any time she concentrated on her power, it was almost like a trance anyway. She pushed past the sounds and her own skin's sensations, focusing on her breaths, then on her heartbeat, then finally on her core. The world slowly faded away as she pulled, pushing her deeper into her mind and into a state of hyperawareness.

  As she sank into that mental state, she felt the heat on her skin like a searing fire. She felt the sting of every insect bite, and the wetness of her sweat that made her body slippery against the stone.

  But at the same time, as her mind slowly drifted towards the calm void of her meditation, all of these sensations seemed to dull. It was like she was slowly drifting further and further away from her own body, like being submerged in water, slowly sinking and sinking. The world grew softer, dimmer.

  The sweat and bugs became an afterthought. They were still there, but they were so faint that her thoughts were able to slip past them.

  In this trance-like state, Fii felt the stone beneath her, the press of it against her skin. It wasn't quite the connection Mambo Naya had described, but it was a start.

  Deeper... Deeper...

  Her body felt heavy, and her thoughts seemed to slow, as if drifting through molasses. The beat of the drums became a distant echo, and the flicker of the bonfire faded to a soft glow behind her eyelids. Her weight sunk further and further into the ground. The rock beneath her sank even deeper into the earth as she sat atop it.

  But still, there was no connection. No... epiphany. Nothing to indicate any kind of spiritual breakthrough. What did a spirit even look like?

  Deeper and deeper...

  Her awareness expanded, slipping past her own body, and the stone beneath her. She became aware of the people around her—the other initiates, the drummers, Mambo Naya, all of them sitting or standing on the ground. But unlike before, when she had been aware of them as distant observers, now she could feel them too.

  They were each a presence in the space around her, and her sense of them felt so familiar that her mind retreated for a moment, pushing her back to her normal self. It was the same sensation she felt when she used her power on others. That awareness of another living being that let her know their movements and position.

  But she wasn't using her power on anyone! She was just... meditating.

  Carefully, Fii drifted deeper and deeper. Her awareness spread out further across the village. She could feel the dozens of people at the event. But the further it reached, the less certain she was that she could discern objects from people. They all became one huge blob of existence.

  She pushed onward, knowing somehow that she couldn't stop now or she'd lose her focus. Her awareness extended out across the entirety of the village. But where was the earth's voice? She could feel the weight of the buildings pressing down on the ground. The presence of hundreds of bodies moving about. But what was the earth itself?

  She paused in her descent, surprised by her own mental query. When she thought about it, how could she tell the difference between a living being and an inanimate object? They all seemed to share the same property in her mind. Some were just mobile, while others were stationary.

  Had she always felt the earth like this and just never known it? If she hadn't become a superhero, would she ever have found out?

  Slowly, reluctantly, Fii spread her senses outward beyond the park, across the expanse of the slums. The weight of the buildings pressing down on the ground was a comforting pressure. She could feel people and objects moving, shifting, and bustling through their lives. The presence of them was somehow... soothing, even. It made her feel grounded in her surroundings.

  Then, she heard it—a whisper so quiet it could have been her own breath. But it was there, undeniable.

  "What... are you?"

  The words weren't words at all; they were sensations, pulsing through her like ripples in a pond. And they came from everywhere at once. From the people around her, from the houses, from the stone she sat on, from the ground beneath her feet, from the sky above... even from the fire dancing in the center of the clearing. Everywhere, she felt those sensations, and they were all asking the same question.

  What are you?

  It took her a moment to find her voice, or whatever passed for a voice in this strange place. She concentrated on her thoughts, trying to send them outward, not entirely sure if it would even work. But she knew, in some primal way, that if she could sense them, they could sense her, and there was no reason to be afraid.

  "I am Fii," she thought, pouring all of her concentration into sending that simple phrase out.

  The response was immediate—a flurry of sensations, each with a different voice and texture. Some were rough, jagged, like the scrape of stone against stone. Others were soft, like the whisper of wind through leaves. And still others were hot, burning, like the crackle of a wildfire.

  "You are... more," the voices echoed, each one repeating the sentiment in its own way.

  More?

  As the question formed in her mind, the world seemed to tilt, and the earth beneath her felt as if it was shifting, churning. A sudden jolt of exhaustion struck her, and her head started to throb as a sharp pain stabbed through her temples. Her body felt like a stone, sinking deeper and deeper.

  Gasping, Fii opened her eyes. She was back in the village square, the drums were still beating, the fire still flickering. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and sweat beaded on her forehead.

  What the hell was that? Had she really connected to... to something? To everything?

  She looked around, half-expecting the world to be different somehow, but it wasn't. Everything was as it had been before.

  "Have you connected with the Loa?" Mambo Naya asked, appearing beside her as if out of thin air.

  Fii blinked, the question hanging in the air between them. Connected with the Loa? That's what that was? The spirits?

  Slowly, she nodded. "I think so."

  Mambo Naya smiled, a glint of satisfaction in her eye. "Good. What did they say to you?"

  Fii hesitated. She wasn't sure how to explain it, wasn't sure if she even understood it herself. But she had to try.

  "They asked me what I was. And then, when I told them my name... they said I was 'more.'" The words didn't do justice to the experience, but they were the best she could do.

  Mambo Naya's expression shifted, the smile fading into a thoughtful look. "More, huh? Interesting."

  Fii cocked her head. "What does that mean? Being 'more'?"

  Naya shrugged. "That is for you to discover, young one. The Loa speak in their way, and it is up to us to interpret their meaning."

  Fii pressed her lips together, dissatisfied with the vague answer. "Okay, but like—"

  Naya interrupted with a raised hand. "All in due time. For now, let us see to the other initiates." Her smile returned. "You did well."

  Mambo Naya walked off, her staff tapping on the ground.

  Fii watched her go, her head still spinning with questions. But she knew she wouldn't get any more answers, at least not now.

  Slowly, she got to her feet, her legs feeling shaky after sitting for so long. Her head still throbbed, and exhaustion clung to her like a second skin. But she felt a glimmer of satisfaction, too. She'd done it. She'd connected to something, even if she didn't understand what it was exactly.

  Maybe this is the key to finding myself. Or whatever.

  As she stepped away from her stone, she glanced back at it. The stone had been partly submerged in the ground. It must have happened when she pushed herself.

  Carefully, she manipulated the gravity to pull it back out, only to feel her already-exhausted head pound even harder. Maybe this would have to wait for tomorrow.

  With a sigh, she stepped away. There was still more to come tonight. She'd have to take a rest after this. There was no way she'd be up to doing anything else.