Wraith

Fifteen

Three years later. 

It's been three years since I entered Kesler, and I haven't felt the slightest hint of evolution.

My cave with Emrys collapsed two months ago, because of water leaking through the roof, and we had to dig out another one.

I learned a few extra abilities: Moonflair is one of them. Moonflair is the Silver Wolf ability to be surrounded by an aura of sharp moonlight and charge forward.

Quick note: Upgraded Moonflair is Sunfury, which is calling down a massive bolt of sunlight to kill something. Earthward is the downgraded version which is still pretty cool: over a short distance, you can travel through dirt and stone. I'm not sure how they're related, but...

An interesting ability I picked up: Mystic Eye. That's what the human's memory said. I've been looking at the changes to my sight. It is useless so far, and I might stop using it.

Emrys found a Gold Wolf friend, and she moved into our cave. I was a bit uncertain about the space issues in Emrys' room, but he said it'd be fine. Their room isn't much bigger than it was before.

Kesler was attacked two more times, and I took a bite out of more than one human. And while I haven't even come close to feeling where evolution is, my combat skill has gone forwards in leaps and bounds. I can fight the average Greater Kraken, because Krakens are weak.

Part of the reason I'm stronger is the deeper understanding I have of the abilities, which lets me get more power out of them. The other reason is that I've been a cannibal.

By taking a single bite, not even a bite, out of all the dead I see, I can steal their abilities. Eating the bodies of fallen comrades is despicable, and I know that, but I need to become stronger... I really, really do.

Anyways. While reading in the Archives, I found this on Evolving:

Some creatures will be stuck for years, decades or even centuries trying to Evolve. The best way to break through is to go out into the world and search for the opportunity to Evolve. Sometimes, that opportunity is to find a special herb. Sometimes, it's the threat of death that causes a breakthrough. Sometimes, it's watching the wonders of the sky and earth.

This method requires the necessary energy to break through the barrier between Stages and Forms, so one cannot just roam the world forever: they must sit down eventually and gather energy. Without enough energy to shatter the barrier, no opportunity is enough.

See that? I'm going out there.

First stop: Bone Desert.

I nearly died to a Sandjaw the first time I came to the Bone Desert. The place is dry, flat, burning hot in the day but freezing cold at night. In other words: useless.

But if you're me, with the ability to steal talents, then it's a treasure trove.

Every being that can survive in this desert is a survivor. They won't have had the power to learn abilities from others, so it's got to be thick skin and talents.

I'm taking those.

Bone Desert. Still as hot, dry, and annoying as last time.

But last time, I was a Stage Five. Now, I have a massive list of abilities and talents. I can fight a Greater creature and not get killed instantly. As long as I don't go to the heart of the desert, where the Kesler Archive says there's an Upper Sandjaw, I'll be fine.

Look, there's a Sandjaw. Let's go kill it.

Sandjaws are known for being difficult to kill, with thick skin and stomach acid strong enough to melt the strongest of our compounds. Their only weakness is their 'Tail,' the piece of flesh underneath their massive bodies that contains their brains.

-From the human Monster Encyclopedia