by Koren Rabe
"What-ahappens-awhen-aI-aabsorb-ait?"-aHe-aasked-aback.
"Because-athis-ais-ayour-afirst-aAbsorption,-ayour-acurrent-aunset-abody-awill-atake-aon-amany-aof-athe-acharacteristics-aof-ayour-afirst-aAbsorption."-aAusra-areplied.
"Is-athere-aany-away-ayou-acan-alist-athose-acharacteristics-ato-ame?"-aDrago-asaid,-astarting-ato-aplan-aahead.-aHe-afelt-aexcited-aas-ahe-aconsidered-athe-apossibilities.
The-ashock-aof-adying-aand-abeing-areborn-ain-athis-astrange-anew-aworld,-ain-aa-astrange-anew-abody,-awasn't-asomething-aDrago-ahad-aovercome-ayet.-aHe-awas,-ahowever,-aadapting.-aDealing-awith-aunexpected-asituations-aand-aproblems-awas-asomething-ahe-awas-agood-aat.-aAs-along-aas-ahe-acould-adistance-ahimself-afrom-athe-aissue-aand-afocus-aon-athe-apresent,-ahe-acould-adeal-awith-ahis-ashock-alater.
He-awould-afigure-aout-ahow-ato-aget-aback-ahome,-aif-ahe-acould-aat-aall,-alater.
"No,-anot-apresently.-aYour-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-ais-atoo-alow-aa-alevel,-ayour-aSoul-awouldn't-abe-aable-ato-abear-athe-astrain."-aA-acool-aresponse-aback.
"So-ait's-ahit-aor-amiss,-aeh?"-aHe-amuttered,-ataking-aanother-alook-aat-athe-asalamander.-aHe-amentally-ashrugged,-a"Well,-ait's-abetter-athan-aa-afish,-aand-athe-asooner-aI'm-anot-aa-ablob,-athe-abetter."-aHis-aown-apersonal-asafety-awas-aof-aparamount-aimportance-anow.-aHe-acould-ainnately-atell-athat-ahis-apresent-aform-awas-aextremely-aweak.
"Ausra,-aassist-ame-ain-aabsorbing-athat-asalamander."-aHe-acommanded.
"Acknowledged."-aAusra's-acool-avoice-areplied.-aImmediately,-athe-agolden-abead-awithin-aDrago-aflashed-abrightly.-aThe-asymbols-aintricately-aconnected-ato-aeach-aother-abegan-ato-awhirr-aand-avibrated,-aand-aa-apowerful-abeam-aof-awhite-alight-aflashed-aout-afrom-aDrago's-abody.
WHOOOSH
In-aless-athan-aa-asecond-athe-alight-aburnt-athrough-athe-aair-aand-aslammed-ainto-athe-achest-aof-athe-agreen-ascaled-asalamander.-aBefore-athe-acreature-aeven-ahad-atime-ato-aregister-athe-aattack,-ait-awas-aalready-adead.-aThe-abeam-aof-alight-avanished-ainto-athe-asalamanders-achest-aas-ait-afell-ato-athe-aground,-aits-aeyes-alifeless.
A-amere-amoment-alater-athe-asalamander's-acorpse-asuddenly-aflung-aitself-atowards-aDrago.-aIt-amoved-athrough-athe-aair-alike-aa-aship-acutting-athrough-awater,-aslamming-ainto-aDrago's-abody-awith-aa-aresounding-athud.
Drago-atook-ait-aall-ain-ain-aa-asplit-asecond,-ashocked-aat-athe-aspeed-aof-athe-aattack-aradiating-ain-ahim.-aIn-athe-asplit-asecond-ahe-acommanded-aAusra-ato-ahelp-ahim,-athe-asalamander-awas-aalready-adead.
"Target-areturned.-aBeginning-aAbsorption."-aThe-avoice-aof-aAusra-abroke-aDrago-afrom-ahis-astupor-aas-awhite-alight-aonce-amore-abegan-ato-aemit-afrom-athe-agolden-abead.-aA-acrescendo-aof-alight-aflashed-aout-acovering-aboth-aDrago-aand-athe-abody-aof-athe-aSalamander,-aand-aall-aof-aa-asudden,-athe-aworld-aaround-aDrago-atransformed-ainto-aa-amisty-awhite-alandscape.
"This-ais-ayour-aEvolution-aSpace."-aA-asmall-aball-aof-alight-aappeared-ain-athe-amisty-awhite-alandscape,-afloating-ain-afront-aof-aDrago.-aHe-alooked-aat-ait-afor-aa-amoment,-aand-athen-aaround-athe-alandscape,-aslightly-aconfused.
"Ausra?-aThat's-ayou?"-aHe-aasked.-aThe-aarea-aaround-ahim-afelt-alike-aa-acool,-amisty-asea.-aHe-afelt-ahimself-arelaxing-aand-acomfortable-ajust-aby-afloating-ahere.-aHe-astrangely-acouldn't-asense-ahis-abody,-anot-aeven-athe-ablobbish-aform-ahe-ahad-apresently.
"Yes."-aThe-aball-aof-alight-areplied,-aand-athen-acontinued,-a"You-ahave-asuccessfully-aabsorbed-aa-atype-aof-aRed-aSalamander.-aIt's-ablood-aorigins-areturn-aas:
-Bloodline-aOrigins-
74%-aRed-aSalamander
18%-aForested-aAncient-aSnake
6%-aHollow-aLizard-a(Degraded)
1%-aMyyr-aDragon-a(Degraded)
1%-avarious-aundetermined-abloodlines-atoo-asmall-ato-acurrently-ameasure
"It's-amostly-aa-aRed-aSalamander?-aThen-awhy-awere-aits-ascales-agreen?"-aHe-aqueried.-aThe-anumbers-athe-aball-aof-alight-aread-aoff-ahad-aappeared-ain-ahis-amind,-aalongside-aa-achart-athat-alisted-avarious-aattributes-aabout-athe-asalamander-ahe-ahad-ajust-aabsorbed.
"The-aMyyr-aDragon-ais-aa-acreature-arenowned-afor-ait's-alustrous-agreen-ascales.-aThis-asalamander-ahad-aa-avery-adegraded-aversion-aof-athe-aMyyr-aDragon-abloodline-arunning-athrough-aits-aveins,-ajust-aenough-ato-aallow-ait-ato-again-asome-aextremely-aminor-aDraconic-aattributes.-aIn-athis-acase,-athe-aMyyr-aDragon's-agreen-ascales."
"I-asee.-aSo-awhat-anow?"-aDrago-aasked,-aunsure.
"After-ayou-aabsorb-aa-acreature,-ayou-ahave-athe-aability-ato-acombine,-aisolate,-aand-awithdraw-aits-abloodlines.-aTo-aEvolve-ainto-aa-aspecific-acreature,-ayou-awill-aneed-aa-asufficient-aamount-aof-aits-abloodline-afor-ayour-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-ato-awork-awith.-aAs-ayou-aEvolve,-ait-ais-apossible-ato-amix-abloodlines,-aor-aabsorb-aabilities-afrom-aother-abloodlines-ato-acreate-aa-amore-aperfect-abloodline."-aAusra-acontinued,
"You-acan-aalso-aabsorb-athe-alatent-aenergy-afrom-aany-adead-acreature's-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-aand-ause-ait-ato-afurther-ayour-aown,-ahastening-ayour-aevolutions."
"His-aWorship's-aonly-agoal-awas-ato-acreate-athe-aperfect-aorganism.-aOf-athe-abillions-aof-abeasts-aand-acreatures-ahe-ahas-aresearched,-aHis-aWorship-awas-aunsure-awhich-awas-atruly-athe-amost-apowerful.-aThe-amission-aof-aall-aof-ahis-aChildren-ais-ato-agrow-aand-aEvolve,-aand-aprove-athrough-asheer-astrength-awhat-athe-aperfect-aorganism-ais."
"Okay,-aokay.-aSo-aI-acan-aabsorb-athe-aRed-aSalamander's-abloodline,-aright?-aWhat-ado-ayou-amean-aby-aisolate-abloodlines?"-aHe-areturned-aback.
"There-aare-aa-acountless-anumber-aof-abloodlines-afor-aliving-acreatures-ain-athe-a30,000-aworlds.-aA-acreature's-astrength-aand-afuture-agrowth-ais-achiefly-adetermined-aby-aa-acreature's-abloodline.-aMost-acreatures-aare-alimited-ain-atheir-agrowth-aor-astrength-aby-atheir-abloodlines,-aan-aaspect-acalled-abloodline-ashackles.-aBreaking-apast-athese-arequire-aone-ato-aevolve-atheir-abloodline,-awhich-ais-aprohibitively-adifficult-afor-anormal-abeings."-aAusra-acontinued,
"You-ahave-athe-aability-ato-aabsorb-aall-aof-athe-atarget's-abloodline,-aor-ajust-aa-apart-aof-ait.-aAbsorbing-adifferent-abloodlines-awill-agrant-ayou-adifferent-aabilities-aand-astrengths,-aand-achange-athe-amakeup-aof-ayour-aphysical-aform."
Drago-alooked-aback-aover-athe-ascreen-ain-ahis-amind,-alooking-aat-athe-astatistics-afor-athe-asalamander.-aWhite-afog-aflowed-aabout-ain-athe-abackground,-agiving-athe-aarea-aan-aethereal-afeel.
"What-abloodline-aon-ahere-ais-athe-astrongest?-aIs-ait-athe-aMyyr-aDragon?"-aAnything-awith-aDragon-ain-aits-aname-ahad-ato-abe-astrong-aby-ahis-areasoning.
"In-aterms-aof-aoverall-apotential,-ayes.-aHowever,-athis-abloodline-ais-avery-adegraded."-aAusra-aresponded.
"Oh.-aDoes-athat-amean-ayou-acan't-aabsorb-ait?-aOr,-arather,-aI-acan't-aabsorb-ait?"-aDrago-areturned.
"No,-ait-ais-apossible-ausing-ayour-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-ato-acorrect-athe-adamaged-aportion-aof-athe-adegraded-abloodline.-aHowever,-ayou-awill-aneed-aa-amuch-alarger-aamount-aof-athe-aMyyr-aDragon's-abloodline-aif-ayou-awish-ato-aEvolve-ausing-ait.-aYour-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-ahas-aall-aof-aHis-aWorship's-aresearch-arecorded-ain-ait,-abut-ait-acannot-acreate-asomething-afrom-anothing."-aAusra's-aresponse-awas-adetailed,-ahelping-ahim-aunderstand.-a
"Alright.-aSo-awhat-ado-ayou-arecommend-aI-ado-anow,-athen,-aAusra?"-aHe-aasked,-athink-athis-athrough.
"His-aWorship-abelieves-athat-acreating-athe-aperfect-aorganism-awill-arequire-aa-amix-aof-abloodlines,-acreating-ahybrid-abeasts-athat-aeven-aHis-aWorship-amay-anot-aknow.-aThe-abloodlines-ayou-ahave-aavailable-ato-ayou-aright-anow,-ahowever,-aare-afar-atoo-aweak-ato-asustain-aa-apowerful-ahybrid.-aIn-aaddition,-ayour-aSoul-ais-afar-atoo-aweak-ato-asustain-athe-aphysical-aform-aof-aany-atype-aof-apowerful-ahybrid-abeast,-alet-aalone-aa-anormal-apowerful-abeast."
Drago-anodded,-amentally-arubbing-ahis-achin.-aThis-awas-acomplex.-aHe-acontinued,-aasking-aa-aquestion-athat-ahad-abeen-abothering-ahim,
"Aren't-athere-aany-abloodlines-aalready-astored-ain-amy-amatrix?-aIf-ayou-ahave-aall-athis-ainformation,-awhy-adidn't-athe-aGodking-aKelly-aor-awhomever-astore-abloodlines-awithin-ait
-aas-awell?"-aHe-afrowned.
"Godking-aYukeli-ais-aHis-aWorship's-aname,"-aThe-aMatrix-aGenie's-avoice-awas-avery-aslightly-areproachful,-a"And-aHis-aWorship-alived-ain-athe-aDivine-aRealm,-aabove-athe-a30,000-aworlds.-aWhen-aHe-acreated-athe-aChildren,-aHis-aonly-adesire-awas-afor-athe-aperfect-aorganism-ato-aarise.-aThe-aFirstborn-aof-aHis-aflock,-aHe-adecided,-awould-astand-aon-aits-aown,-aEvolving-aby-achance."
Drago-aconsidered-aAusra's-awords-afor-aa-amoment.-aHis-aorigins-afor-abeing-ahere-aseemed-aa-abit-amore-acomplicated-athan-ahe-ahad-aearlier-athought.-aRegardless,-ahe-aneeded-ato-afocus-aon-athe-apresent-afirst.
"Alright.-aThen-alet's-astart-awith-athe-aRed-aSalamander-abloodline,-asince-awe-ahave-athe-amost-aof-ait."
"Acknowledge."-aAusra-areplied.
Immediately,-athe-amisty-aworld-aaround-aDrago-abegan-ato-aflash-ared.-aSeveral-awords-aappeared-ain-ahis-amind.
-Absorbing-aRed-aSalamander-abloodline-
In-ajust-aa-afew-amoments,-athe-abloodline-awas-acompletely-aabsorbed.-aA-anew-aset-aof-awords-aappeared-abefore-aDrago-areplacing-athe-aprevious-aset.
-Red-aSalamander-abloodline-asuccessfully-aabsorbed-
--aGrowth-aStage:-a(3/5)-aYoung-aAdult-a-
Drago-alooked-aat-athe-anumbers,-aasking,
"Growth-aStage?-aWhat-adoes-athat-amean,-aspecifically?"
"The-aamount-aof-aRed-aSalamander-ablood-ayou-aabsorbed,-acombined-awith-athe-aenergy-ain-ayour-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix,-awas-anot-aenough-ato-aallow-ayou-ato-areach-afull-amaturity.-aAbsorb-athe-aenergy-aof-aother-abeings-ato-adevelop-athe-amaturity-aof-ayour-aphysical-aform."
As-aAusra-aspoke,-aa-anew-aset-aof-awords-aappeared-ain-afront-aof-aDrago.
-Body-aReconstruction-ain-aprogress-
-Body-aReconstruction-acomplete.-aTransferring-afrom-aEvolution-aSpace-
A-asplit-asecond-alater,-athe-amisty-aworld-aaround-aDrago-avanished,-aand-ahe-afound-ahimself-aback-aoutside,-ain-athe-amiddle-aof-athe-arocky-aclearing.-aThe-aworld-aaround-ahim-awavered-abriefly-aas-ahis-avision-astabilized.
Drago-ablinked,-asurprised-aby-athe-aabrupt-achange.
"Wait-aa-amoment.-aI-ablinked!"-aDrago-ayelped-amentally-aas-ahe-alooked-adown.-aTwo-ared-ascaled-aclaws-agreeted-ahim,-aseveral-ainches-along.-aA-apair-aof-astubby-ared-aarms-aconnected-ato-athe-aclaws,-aup-ato-ahis-apowerful-alooking-atorso.-aHis-ablob-alike-aexistence-ahad-abeen-acompletely-areplaced-aby-aa-alittle-amore-athan-aa-ameter-along-aRed-aSalamander.
"It-aworked!"-aHe-asmiled,-aor-atried-ato.-aHis-alizard-aface-adidn't-afit-ahuman-aexpressions-awell.
Drago-atook-aa-astep-aforward,-arelishing-athe-afeeling-aof-amovement.-aHe-afelt-aa-astrong-asense-aof-acomfort-aas-ahe-amoved,-asurprising-ahim-afor-aa-afew-aseconds.-aIt-atook-ahim-aa-amoment-ato-arecognize-athe-astrange-afeeling-awas-acoming-afrom-athe-asunlight-aabove.-aHe-aflexed-ahis-aarms,-afeeling-athe-amuscles-aripple-aunder-ahis-ascales.-a
It-awas-aan-aodd-afeeling,-aalmost-adisconcerting-ato-acontrol-aan-aanimal.-aIt-aalso-afelt-aincredibly-anatural,-ahowever,-athe-amovements-aand-acontrol-acoming-ato-ahim-aas-aa-amatter-aof-acourse.-a
"It's-awarm…Ausra,-awhat-aare-athe-aattributes-aor-aspecial-aaspects-aof-aa-aRed-aSalamander?"-aHe-aqueried.
"Red-aSalamander's-aare-aomnivores,-awith-aa-adiet-aof-aboth-ameat-aand-aplants-aor-aberries.-aThey-ahave-aa-aminor-aaffinity-afor-afire.-aGathering-aenergy-afrom-asunlight-ais-aa-aunique-amethod-aRed-aSalamanders-acan-ause-aas-aa-asubstitute-afor-afood.-aThey-apossess-ano-ainnate-aabilities.-aThey-apossess-aenhanced-avision-auseful-ain-acatching-aprey."-aAusra's-avoice-awas-acool-ain-ahis-ahead.-a
"Alright."-aHe-amuttered,-aturning-ahis-aattention-ato-ahis-asurroundings.-aHe-acould-anow-asee-athe-aworld-ain-amuch-amore-adetail-athan-ahe-acould-aas-aa-ablob.
The-arocky-aoutcropping-ahe-awas-aon-aactually-aappeared-ato-abe-athe-aside-aof-aa-arather-alarge,-astony-amountain.-aThe-aRed-aSalamander-ahad-acrystal-aclear-avision,-aallowing-ahim-ato-asee-aall-athe-away-ato-athe-atop-aof-athe-ajagged-apeak.-aThe-aforested-aareas-aoff-ato-athe-aside-asurrounded-athe-amountain,-acreating-aa-adense-atreeline.-aDrago-awas-aright-anext-ato-athe-atreeline,-awhat-ahe-ahad-amistaken-afor-aa-aclearing.
In-athe-abackground,-ahe-aheard-afaint-agrowls-aand-aroars-aof-aanimals-aand-abeasts-amoving-athrough-athe-aforest.-aA-aparticularly-aloud-aroar-ahad-ahim-asnap-ahis-ahead-aback-atowards-athe-atop-aof-athe-amountain-apeak.
A-ahuge,-ablack-aand-awhite-aspotted-apanther-ahad-ajust-aappeared-aon-athe-atop-aof-athe-apeak,-aletting-aloose-aan-aextremely-aloud-aroar.-aThe-apanther-awas-aeasily-aa-adozen-ameters-along-aand-aseveral-ameters-atall,-aa-amassive-acreature-athat-apractically-aradiated-adanger.-aAs-ait-aroared,-aa-alarge-abird-alike-acreature-asuddenly-aswooped-adown-afrom-athe-asky-afar-aabove,-amoving-aso-afast-ait-awas-aa-ablur-aeven-ain-aDrago's-aenhanced-avision.-aThe-atwo-agargantuan-abeings-acollided-aon-atop-aof-athe-amountain,-asending-aout-aan-aexplosion-aof-arock-aand-adust.
"Where-athe-ahell-aam-aI…"-aHe-amuttered-aas-ahe-atook-aa-afew-asteps-abackwards.-aThe-ashower-aof-arocks-afrom-athe-amountain-apeak-abegan-ato-atumble-adown,-asome-atowards-aDrago.
"Oh-adear."-aWithout-aa-asecond-athought,-aDrago-aturned-aaround-aand-ascampered-aoff-ainto-athe-atreeline.-a
###-aChapter-a3-a--aGrowing
Drago-astepped-aforward-aever-aso-aslowly,-amoving-awith-aextreme-acare-aalong-athe-atree-abranch-ahe-awas-aperched-aupon.-aHis-ainstincts-aand-aability-ato-amove-ausing-athe-aRed-aSalamander-abody-awere-asomewhat-anaturally-aingrained-awith-ahis-atransformation,-agiving-ahim-acontrol-aand-aability-aa-aregular-ahuman-acouldn't-ahope-ato-ahave-ain-athe-asame-aform.
After-aa-afew-amore-acareful-asteps,-aDrago-awas-anow-aperched-aa-afew-afeet-aover-aa-asmall,-arunning-astream-athat-awas-aaround-atwo-aor-aso-afeet-adeep.-aDozens-aof-ablue-scaled-afish-awere-avisible-amoving-athrough-athe-astream,-aeach-aequipped-awith-aa-alarge,-abluish-awhite-afin.-aSeveral-asmall-awaves-acrossed-aover-athe-asurface-aof-athe-astream.-aA-afew-apatches-aof-agrass-abordered-ait,-abut-afor-athe-amost-apart-athis-aarea-aof-athe-aforest-awas-acurrently-adeserted.
A-afew-atense-amoments-apassed-aas-ahe-alooked-adown,-aunblinking.
Then,-aabruptly,-aDrago's-ainstincts-afired-aand-ahe-aleapt-adirectly-adownward-awithout-ahesitation,-adropping-atowards-athe-astream.
SPLASH
Drago-afell-ainto-athe-ariver-aand-aimmediately-asnapped-adown-awith-ahis-ateeth,-acapturing-aone-aof-athe-ablue-scaled-afish.-aThe-arest-aof-athe-afish-ain-athe-ariver-ascattered-aimmediately,-afleeing-afrom-ahim-ain-awaves.-aA-asmall-atang-aof-ared-ablood-adripped-aout-aof-athe-ablue-scaled-afish-aas-ait-astruggled-ain-ahis-ateeth,-adyeing-athe-anearby-awater-ared.-a
The-ataste-aof-athe-ablood-ain-ahis-amouth,-athe-afrothy-aflesh-aof-athe-asmall-afish,-awas-aalmost-aeuphoric-ato-aDrago.-a
In-ahis-amind,-aa-asmall-anotification-afrom-athe-aSoul-aSpell-aMatrix-aappeared.-a
-White-aRiverfin-abloodline-asuccessfully-astored-
--aGrowth-aStage:-a(2/2)-aMature-aFish-a-
"Not-abad.-aThat-aone-ais-afinished-aup."-aDrago-amumbled-aas-ahe-achewed-aon-athe-aremains-aof-athe-afish,-aswallowing-ait-adown.-a
His-apalate-aafter-abecoming-aa-aRed-aSalamander-ahad-achanged-agreatly.-aAs-aa-ahuman,-aeating-afood-araw-awas-asomething-aDrago-ahad-anever-athought-ahe-awould-aattempt.-aAs-aa-aRed-aSalamander,-acooking-afood-awas-asimply-aan-aunnecessary-aextra-astep.
It-ahad-abeen-athree-adays-asince-aDrago-afirst-acame-ato-athis-aworld.-aIn-athat-atime,-ahe-ahad-abeen-abusy.
After-afleeing-afrom-athe-arockslide-acaused-aby-athe-aclash-aof-athe-atwo-amassive-acreatures-aon-athe-amountain,-aDrago-ahad-agone-awarily-aexploring-ain-athe-adepths-aof-athe-aforest.-aHe-atook-ato-athe-atreetops-aas-ahe-amoved,-acareful-ato-aavoid-athe-aattention-aof-aany-aother-acreatures-aif-ahe-acould-aavoid-ait.-aHe-ahad-afully-aadapted-ato-amoving-ain-ahis-aRed-aSalamander-abody.
Drago's-afirst-agoal-ahad-abeen-ato-amake-ahimself-aa-asafe-aplace-ato-arest.-aAfter-asearching-aaround-afor-amost-aof-athe-afirst-aday,-aDrago-ahad-afound-aa-atall-atree-athat-ahad-abeen-ahollowed-aout-aat-at
he-atop.-aFor-alack-aof-aany-aother-aplaces,-ahe-ahad-amade-athis-ahis-anew-atemporary-ahome,-aresting-athere-afor-athe-anight.
Night-ain-athe-aforest,-aDrago-afound,-awas-aterrifying.-aStrange-acreatures-amoved-aabout-ain-athe-adarkness,-aand-aconstant-ahowls-aand-aclashes-aof-abeasts-arang-aout,-acoating-athe-aworld-ain-afear.-aDrago-awas-asecretly-ahorrified-awhen-ahe-aobserved-aall-aof-athis,-astaying-ahidden-ain-ahis-atreetop-atill-adawn.
Drago-awas-anow-aworking-aon-ahis-asecond-agoal.-aBecoming-astronger.-aEnough-ato-asurvive-awithout-afear-ain-athis-astrange-aland.
According-ato-aAusra,-athe-amore-adeveloped-aa-abloodline-awas,-ain-aany-acreature,-athe-astronger-athat-acreature-awould-abe.-aHe-acould-adevelop-ahis-abloodline-aby-aabsorbing-aenergy-afrom-aother-acreatures,-aor-afinding-amore-aRed-aSalamanders-aand-adirectly-aabsorbing-atheir-abloodlines.-aHe-acould-aalso-adevelop-ait-anaturally-aby-aaging,-abut-athat-awould-atake-afar-amore-atime.-a
Some-acreatures,-alike-aRed-asalamanders,-anaturally-ahad-athe-aability-ato-aEvolve.-a
Thus,-aDrago-ahad-aset-aoff-ahunting.
"Ausra,-ahow-aclose-aam-aI-ato-aadvancing-ato-amy-anext-agrowth-astage-afor-athe-aRed-aSalamander?"
Instead-aof-areplying-ato-ahim,-aanother-ascreen-aand-aset-aof-afloating-aletters-aappeared-ain-ahis-amind.
-Red-aSalamander-a--aGrowth-aStage:-a(3/5)-aYoung-aAdult-
--aGrowth-aProgress-a–-a97/100-a-
"Almost-athere."-aHe-amuttered.
Over-athe-apast-afew-adays,-ahe-ahadn't-afound-aany-aother-aRed-aSalamanders,-aand-ahad-abeen-aforced-ato-ainstead-aprey-aon-aother-acreatures-aand-aabsorb-aenergy-afrom-athem-ato-afurther-ahis-abloodline.-aAs-aa-aside-aeffect-aof-athat,-ahe-ahad-agained-aseveral-aweak-abloodlines-athat-ahe-acould-ause-ain-athe-afuture,-alike-athe-afully-amatured-aWhite-aRiverfin-ahe-ahad-ajust-asuccessfully-acompleted-astoring.-aBy-astoring-aenough-aof-athe-abloodline-aof-aany-acreature,-ahe-acould-aobtain-aa-afully-amature-abloodline-ahe-acould-ause-alater,-ato-aexperiment-aor-atransform-awith.
