He stood up and then bowed at the waist.
“Thank you for having me,” he said respectfully. Lucidus’ eyes widened slightly. For the first time, she noticed that Slate was genuinely trying to be respectful. She could feel that her power was flowing through him smoothly and efficiently. Usually, she felt like she was forcing a waterfall through the eye of a needle.
Slate rose from his bow and met the deity’s eyes. “Much has happened since our last meeting,” he said calmly.
“So, it has,” Lucidus said happily. “Your people have done well in my name. Do you know what the Scourge has accomplished?”
Slate inclined his head. “Unfortunately, I do not, Lord. I was hoping that you would inform me of Shale’s progress.”
Lucidus inclined an eyebrow. “Of course, after all, it is the only reason I have allowed you to evolve to the next form.”
Slate felt a thrum of excitement spread through his body. He had spent most of his time on Somnium in his current form. This first two had come quickly, but it was an absolute grind to get to his current level. He expected this would be the last evolution he would see for a while. He had yet to face any opponents over the level of sixty. Slate assumed that the Collective’s more powerful members would be along the border, protecting their territory from the Ignatum Empire.
“So, to what do I owe the pleasure, Lucidus?” Slate’s tone remained respectful, cheerful even.
“Well, I guided Shale and Lucelynia to an Obelisk of Consuming Darkness.” The deity was pleased with herself, and yet Slate didn’t recognize the unfamiliar terminology.
“Is that significant?” He asked, confused.
“Absolutely,” the deity gushed. “The obelisk is a seed of Nocturnus’ power. If left alone, it would have eventually grown into a tower similar to the one you found in Standur. It works by feeding off the life in an area to let itself grow. It consumes the life-energy of plants, animals, and the souls of the sentient.”
At her last statement, Slate noticed that the Lord of Light was disgusted by the idea of the tower. “It’s a sickness on the world—a plague of perversion.”
After shaking her head in disgust, she continued. “Luckily, Shale and Lynia were able to destroy it. Or at least, cause the Cult of the Leech to destroy it themselves rather than let it fall into the Scourge’s hands.”
Slate gave a polite cough. “I apologize for interrupting Lord, but why would the Scourge want to seize the obelisk?”
Lucidus gave Slate a look like he was stupid before she seemed to realize something. “Ah, you haven’t been made privy to this part of the contest.” She crossed her arms as she floated in the white void. She cradled her chin in a hand as she considered how best to explain.
“The Immortal War is like a betting game. We place pieces of power on the board, and we move them around to grow our power by seizing elements of power from the others.”
She watched as Slate’s calculating eyes took in the information. She was pleased that he seemed to be intuitively understanding what she was talking about. “So, the elimination of the obelisk was a boon to you, whether it was destroyed or claimed.”
“Just so,” the deity replied as pleased as a cat with its cream. “Had we been able to claim it, I could have converted it to my uses. Even with it being destroyed, the realm of Somnium determined that it was through my doing that Nocturnus’ power is reduced, and thus, mine has been increased.”
She gave her King of the Scourge a considering look. “Lighthaven was a victory. Bastion was a victory. Standur was a victory. The fall of Koral is less so. I’ll get credit for some of your actions there tomorrow, but the Lord of Fire will take the lion’s share of that power.”
Slate sighed. “As much as I want to take it for the Scourge, I don’t think we can maintain control over the city without losing it to the Empire.” Slate studied her expression carefully. “I’m assuming that winning a victory and then abruptly losing it wouldn’t be good for your influence in Somnium.”
Lucidus nodded in assent. “You are right about that. I am not displeased with your progress, Progenitor.” She gave him a beatific smile. There was real warmth there that Slate was unused to seeing. He wondered if the change was because the campaign was going well or if it were in response to his agreeableness. He figured it could be a combination of both.
Maybe I’ve been approaching the relationship with Lucidus all wrong, he considered.
“I think you have,” Lucidus answered his thought, a practice that she knew irritated the man. “I’m much easier to work with, rather than against.”
Slate gave her a hard-eyed look. “Then why did you send me Fidem?” He asked, harshly. “The man is a menace.”
Lucidus let out a chuckle. “Even I don’t get to make all of the rules. Granting someone the powers of a priest is no easy task. Their faith needs to be unshakeable. They are a vulnerability as much as an asset. If they are turned to the enemy’s cause, a significant source of power would be lost.”
Slate’s eyes widened as he realized the significance. He had thought that Lucidus sent Fidem as a personal threat to him. Now, she was suggesting that it was necessary to have a person like Fidem act as a font for her power. Fidem was the last person that Slate would think had the capability to switch sides to another deity. He slavered over Lucidus’ power to a degree that Slate found unsettling.
“I see,” he said simply, and Lucidus knew that he did. It was one of the things she appreciated about him.
“So, let us talk about your next evolution. Are you ready to finally be my King?” Her question had a sense of gravity about it, so Slate took his time responding.
“Actually, no,” he said thoughtfully. “The Scourge has yet to become a true kingdom, but I believe I see the path forward.”
Lucidus nodded. “Fair, I suppose.” She studied him. “Unfortunately, we do not have the time. You need this new power just so that you can save Bastion in time, and Serena needs to join you. I am not sure you will be able to defeat this foe on your own.”
Slate looked at her quizzically. His deity had never provided him this much information before. “Can you tell me the nature of this enemy?” He asked her cautiously.
Lucidus gave Slate a sheepish smile. “Unfortunately, I cannot. The enemy is a direct agent of a rival. I am barred from revealing who, or what, it is. You already received the extent of my information from Bastion. Anything more than that is against the rules.” The Lord of Light gave Slate a significant look that sent his mind racing. If the Lord of the Light couldn’t reveal the direct identity of the agent of a rival, then it meant the rules of the Immortal War afforded him the same protection. He could use that benefit if he was able to pull himself out of the current predicament. He also recognized the fact that Lucidus all but confirmed her communication with the city management system. It was unfortunate, but he would have to assume that everything the irritating man said came directly from the lips of his patron goddess.
After a moment, he nodded. “Okay, I’m ready,” he said confidently.
Lucidus chuckled, and Slate didn’t know if it was because of his arrogance or because of something else. “This form will be different from anything you’ve ever experienced. It’s good that you think you’re ready.” The woman raised her arms, and they began to shine with a familiar cerulean glow. Slate belatedly realized that the Lord of Light had emphasized the fact that he thought he was ready and not that he was ready.
Fuck, he thought.
A sensation like warm water spread throughout his body. He felt it in his heart first like it was an intravenous saline drip. The feeling quickly suffused the rest of his body. It calmed the beating of his heart and the churning of his thought. He felt sleepy and disconnected from his body. He could feel muscles enlarging and bones snapping in a removed sense as they were transformed. He watched his transfiguration from outside of his body. He observed the changes wrought on his body, but it was as if the events were happening to someone else. A
s he watched the extreme modifications, he intimated that if he were fully present in his mind, the transformation would quickly drive him insane.
There had always been a reptilian appearance to his evolutions. Even in his first appearance as a Scourgling, he had resembled a snake more than a worm or other kind of invertebrate. This latest evolution was just an extension and dramatization of those same features. First, he grew to about twice his usual size, and his body leaned out in ways similar to his previous evolution. His chest and upper extremities were broad and robust, but his figure tapered down when it reached his core and hind legs.
Next, his body transformed from a bipedal creature to a quadruped. He retained his wings and his tail, but they grew to a much larger size in proportion to his newly enlarged frame. The wings grew more developed as he grew actual claws on their edges. They could be used to cling to surfaces or grasp items with just his wings. It was a welcome change in dexterity as his gigantic body would need more ways of maneuvering small spaces. The claws on his tail weren’t the only adjustments. The six-taloned claws on his front and back limbs had also been adjusted. They had become finer and tapered to sharper points. He imagined that he could crush a humanoid skull with one massive paw. The claws would slice together in six directions to turn his enemy’s head into something resembling a cut melon. His tail had lengthened until it was longer in proportion to his body, and he retained his signature tail blade. Now, he could use the tail while he was airborne. It was a deadly weapon against other flying creatures in addition to earth-bound adversaries.
His face lost its horns, and his hair disappeared. The hair seemed to be growing in reverse as it was withdrawn into his skull. His skin began to harden, and the scales became more pronounced. They were not the smooth and soft scales of the Heritor; instead, they resembled the armored plates of his Scion form. They glittered in the light like gold medallions. They were so tightly layered that Slate could imagine them stopping a cannonball if necessary. The edges up the scale were slightly upturned into slashing points, and their sandpaper quality was retained. If an unarmored person ran their hand down his hide, they would find the flesh stripped away like they had run it down a cheese grater. The scales weren’t only offensive; they were extremely defensive. Slashes and cuts delivered by a regular enemy would be laughable. He looked like a cross between a man and a lizard before his neck lengthened and became a thick pillar upon which his head rested. Small gaps where the scales overlapped on his neck allowed him a significant amount of mobility. Slate knew that when he active his Aspect, those gaps would also become how he radiated the extreme heat from his body.
His head lengthened until he had a snout filled with razor-sharp teeth. He retained his prehensile tongue and his acidic and venomous qualities. Slate could even feel a considerable mana conversion organ in his belly that was rapidly filling with Cleansing Flame. He had the feeling that he could convert and produce far more flame than he had ever dreamed of in his previous form. The most substantial changes were more profound than his outward appearance. He knew rather than felt how his brain changed while in his draconic form. He knew it would be easier to use the Scourgemind in its entirety while producing battle magic. It was something he had always struggled with, and he was interested to see how the evolution affected his character sheet.
Additionally, his eyes had changed, as well. They were still the color of molten silver, but the pupils had changed subtly. Slate knew he could flex the muscles in his eyes to transition between his various types of vision. He also knew that the Combined Vision that he had developed would no longer give him a headache in this form.
Overall, instead of the six and a half feet he previously stood, he was about as tall as a single-story building. From snout to tail, he estimated that his length was two or three times that size, but his quadrupedal form only allowed him to stand so tall on his hind legs. His expansive wings, like sails on either side of him, seemed more practical than in his previous form. However, he was still too heavy for them to support his frame unaided by magic.
Once the transformation was complete, he felt his figure drawing in his mind like a snake charmer with a snake. He settled into his body slowly as he felt his form come alive with energy. He looked around the realm and noticed that his improved vision was standard in this form. That implied to Slate that his mind had changed just as much as his body. He finally could assess and understand all of the information his eyes were observing. He was glancing around Lucidus’ realm of light, and he felt like he was peeking behind the matrix. He could see how mana was intricately wrought into an illusion around him. When he looked at Lucidus herself, he could see the strands of magic that had been woven together in a beautiful tapestry. She was no more real than the realm around him. He had never been naïve enough to believe that she visited him in the flesh, but knowing something and seeing it with his own eyes were two separate things.
The bright white light that had been a hallmark of his visits to her—which had once been unknowable and opaque—now revealed itself for the dream it was. He took an experimental sniff. He could still smell the nighttime air of Koral surrounding him. If he focused his ears carefully, he could hear the sounds of the sleeping city and the breathing of Serena just behind him. He turned and found himself sitting on the roof of the warehouse. He was still in a humanoid form, but now he looked almost exactly like the elf he had been before.
He looked back at Lucidus and tried to speak aloud. A rumbling growling sound issued from his mouth, and the deity chuckled.
“It’s hard to speak normally with a snout and a mouth full of teeth. Try using your mind, young dragon.”
Slate felt himself make an approximation of a draconic frown. What is this? Why can I see my body still in Koral?
Lucidus shrugged, “If I had allowed you to transform into a dragon on that roof, it’s likely you would fall through.” She chuckled. “Wouldn’t that be an inglorious entrance?”
Slate realized that was probably true. He glanced back at his elf form and realized he looked like an amalgamation of Merus and himself. He touched his maw with a claw as he looked upon himself for the first time since he arrived in Somnium. It was definitely him sitting there in Koral. His features had been enhanced and accentuated by elven traits, but he recognized his strong jaw, angular cheekbones, Grecian nose, and eyes shadowed by the prominent ridge above his eyes. It had always been a face for politics, and he was happy to see it, even if eleven features slightly altered it. He looked back at the Lord of Light. Why does my elf form look so…normal? He asked her.
“Because it is,” she said flatly. “Normal, I mean. As a King, you have two forms, a dragon evolution and an elf one. However, your new power as a dragon comes at the cost of utility. You will have to choose between the two forms, and which will be more practical for you to use in a given situation. Your elf form is no more significant than that of a normal Guardian. This will improve over time as you earn the next two evolutions.”
Slate nodded. He had already learned that power in Somnium didn’t come without its share of drawbacks. I’m ready to return then, my Lord. I have a city to topple in your name.
Lucidus smiled at the certainty in his voice. “That you do,” she said somewhat wistfully. “And, Slate?” She began.
Yes, my Lord? He responded.
“It’s good to see my original people back in the flesh. Even if you don’t win the Immortal War, this was nonetheless a gift to me.”
Slate looked confused but nodded. It seemed that this wasn’t the first time Somnium had held dragons. He looked forward to demonstrating their might once more.
With a casual wave of her hand, she returned Slate to his elven body. He stood up and noticed that he was completely naked. He didn’t have the benefit of his scaled form anymore. The winter chill penetrated his body immediately, and he shivered.
Shit. I have to worry about clothes again. He focused on himself and activated his Aspect of Cleansing Flame in the hopes that it
would keep him from freezing to death. Luckily, it worked, but it only added a muted glow to his otherwise tawny-colored skin. It wasn’t nearly as powerful as it used to be. He summoned a fireball to his hand, and a softball-sized fire emerged from the center of his hand. Slate frowned.
This is weaker too. He sighed before dismissing the projectile. Well, at least I still have access to some of my magic. He looked up to see how Serena had changed, and he was happy to know that she resembled Shale in her previous evolution. She was seated in a lotus position similar to his own, and she was still communing with Lucidus as Slate watched her. He was cheered by the fact that this transformation would return her closer to her original form. Serena had always been proud of her looks, and now she would have them again.
Her skin was smooth and pale. It looked like glittering quartz as the moonlight shone upon her brow. The light made her copper-toned hair shine like a new penny. Although her eyes were closed, Slate knew they were emerald green gemstones. There was a dusting of freckles on her nose and cheeks. Slate couldn’t remember if they had always been there, but he assumed it must be so. Her transformation into a Consort had smoothed such features away, but the advancement to Paramour brought them back.
Around her shoulders, opal-colored wings covered her like a shimmering cloak. Slate was cheered by their presence. Lucidus had warned him that he would need her help in Bastion, and he wasn’t sure that he could carry passengers in his dragon form.
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