David experimented with his affinity over the next few cycles. He could breath the healing fog at will once a day at his current capabilities. His affinity seemed to naturally recharge as he slept and he could exert some limited control over how it dispersed itself. It was powerful though and Red was in awe of him still. Red barely left his side as he thanked and prayed to him. David had to drive him off eventually with threats and get him focused back on helping Blue out.

Once he was alone again he took the time to experiment. He captured a Horned Serpent by almost killing it and the fog still hugged and healed its wounds despite his efforts to mentally refuse the healing of the serpent. He ended the serpent by tearing off its head quickly after and brought the meat home to his kobolds. Internally, David struggled with the torture he was dealing to the poor creature. Ultimately though he decided it was a necessary evil to experiment on the poor serpent and he also couldn't afford to let precious resources go.

He established a system with Blue and Red. If one of them was out searching for food nearby the other needed to be there on watch ready to set out an alarm. They both weren't exactly pleased with their work schedule being slowed.

“I will make up the difference by hunting more. Once your offspring are born it will be less noticeable.” David reassured the duo. OSHA, CCOHS or any other number of work safety programs didn't exist in this world. He needed to do his best as their Master to make sure they would survive.

The following few cycles David roamed the tunnels and mapped out some of the more significant areas. He had Blue scrape in a map into one of the solid stone surfaces of their home and they would fill in details after he returned each cycle. Ambass’s zone was labeled as Nursery Tunnels. The expanse of tunnels where the Mountain and Worm were spotted was labeled as Titan Expanse. He marked the stream cavern as Sanctuary and they put a small dot near where their lair was located. He made a note of the pool at the end of the cavern and the Wyrmling that resided there. He did his best to explain what a compass was but was met with some confusion.

“Comp… ass?” Blue stared at him cluelessly. With a heavy sigh David tried again.

“It marks directions. Let's make it simple. Towards the Nursery Tunnel is going to be N. Away from it an S. Then a W towards the pool of water and an E in the opposite direction.” As David finished Blue was clearly still confused but did as he asked. She quickly drew a small diagram pointing to each direction and labeled them appropriately. He still needed to explore the East and the South. The white and blue Wyrm that had attacked Red had fled South. David debated if it was wise to follow it but he needed to know more. Information and knowledge were key in this world.

The following “morning” he informed Red and Blue where he was going. He knew they had food reserves to last at least five cycles and told them to not take any chances. Afterwards he headed out and crossed the stream heading South. His nose picked up something after a few twists and turns. He located an old scent trail of blood and sulfur. He was confident that this was from the injured Wyrm but curiously it seemed to be twisting East bound. He was faced with a decision. He could chase it into its territory or continue exploring South?

He debated with the choice for a few minutes but decided to keep his word to the kobolds and kept pressing southwards. He traveled for quite a while through the twisting turns and random expansion of caverns. Just as his thirst began to prick at the back of his throat he stumbled upon a small river. The water was flowing faster than his small stream and there was considerably more water as well. He couldn't help but feel like he was being watched as he stepped forward and drank some water. The water was quite refreshing and tasted less dirty than his little sad stream. His senses tingled a moment before a ripple in the river became an expanding opened jaw of something monstrous. David instantly leaped back but the moving beast locked its teeth into his side and it began to roll. The skin, meat and scales of his side tore clean off as he was barely able to peel himself away.

Shit. David was hurt badly. His mind raced as he took in the large, very crocodile-like creature before him. It didn't seem to bear any dragon-like traits but he found it ironic how even in another world the crocodile form was persistent. It was slowly walking towards him as it swallowed its mouth full of David meat.

It was slow though as it wandered closer snapping its jaws at him. David struck fast with a claw swipe across its nose. His claws buried themselves deep and blood flew. It was a minor wound but gave him hope. He bounded around the crocodile while dodging a rapid snap of its jaw. His own jaw quickly found and tore out a chunk of flesh on its rear leg. It let off a hiss as it lunged sideways. David repeated the narrow attack three more times before the beast started to pull itself backwards into the water. He couldn't deal with it in the water like that. He stopped for a moment to think just as the beast surged forward out of the water like a bolt of lightning. It clearly has some sort of ability as it clamped down onto David's rear as he twisted to escape and rolled hard. The beast's roll was vicious and his poor hide didn't stand a chance. He staggered as blood pooled underneath him and he considered his options desperately. He noticed that the beast was pressing forward towards him and not retreating despite its own wounds. The crocodile had clearly sensed he had won this one.

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David turned and began to limp away. He gained some distance at first before slowing. His wounds stung bad, a trail of blood following him. The crocodile just happily kept pacing after him, a satisfied rumble escaping its maw. David retreated back into a tunnel and quickly turned the corner out of sight. He grinned internally as his mouth opened wide and out came a soft warm fog that clung to his body eagerly. His wounds healed, his flesh regenerated, and his blood was renewed in an instant. Just as he finished healing the large head of the crocodilian lumbered around the corner and stopped.

David let loose a snarl, “You are mine now you bastard!” He darted around the gator at that moment, taking it completely by surprise. The crocodile wasn't completely stupid as it began to walk backwards towards the river but the distance was far greater now. David bounced, weaved and tore flesh off the beast as he harrowed it the entire way back to the river. As the croc turned to quickly dash the last few feet to the water David sunk his teeth into its thick tail and began to drag it back. His muscles ached and cried out as he fought against the beast's own strength. His teeth tore and bit into the croc as he slowly out strengthened it bit by bit. After getting it half way back to the tunnel the croc turned and tried to lunge at David again. David dashed back, taking a thick chunk of flesh with him.

The fight ended shortly after that as the crocodile slowly bled to death from the countless wounds, and continual assault. As the beast let off its death gurgle David let off an adrenaline fueled howl of triumph of his own. His prompt flashed a notification informing him the beast was called a Cave Crocodilian. It really was some sort of crocodile afterall. He happily gorged himself on the croc's meat. It was different but still fantastic. As he stripped the flesh away and ate more than his belly could handle his prompt pinged him…

Cave Crocodilian slain and trait available.

Rupturing Jaws - The muscles around the jaw are designed to grasp on firmly so the concentrated muscles of the body can jerk, twist or tear off chunks of flesh. You gain 3 strength using your jaws and 1 everywhere else. You're able to use a death roll on anything you firmly have your jaws around to momentarily increase your strength output by 1.25 times in sheer force.

Rupturing Jaws trait available. Absorb Y/N?

David was surprised. He had expected some sort of water trait, or water lunging ability. Perhaps creatures could have more than one trait? Or he was just simply wrong. In hindsight that bite was what almost killed him. Rupturing Jaws did not grant as much strength as he was hoping but the active ability was very, very good. He needed a go to ability and this seemed to fit the bill. He mentally confirmed the selection and was immediately hit by a round of violent pains. He let out a surprised yelp as his body got hot and then all of his muscles became sore. His jaw especially hurt and felt like it was twisted and jerked around by a force beyond his control. After the pains subsided he summoned his prompt with a satisfied grin.

David “Onyx” Manning - Otherworlder

Species: Wyrm

Str: 19.5 (22.5 Jaw)

Int: 12

Speed: 10

Toughness: 10

Affinity: Life (1/1 Charges)

Healing Breath (Fog) - 1 Charge Cost

Traits: 2/3

Condensed Musculature

Rupturing Jaws - Death Roll Ability

He dismissed the prompt and wrapped his jaws around part of the crocodile carcass. To his surprise his jaws were considerably larger and more muscular. He mentally focused and activated Death Roll as he rolled his body around rapidly on instinct alone. The entire mouth full of hide, bone and flesh sheared free from the corpse with ease. David let off a roar as he was satisfied with the synergy he was building. If he was playing a video game back home he would be a damage dealer. He was fragile though but his affinity helped mitigate some of that. He should consider picking up a trait that helped bolster his toughness down the road, if he could find an appropriate one.

He decided to finish scouting as much of the river as he could before returning. He trekked West bound towards where the river was flowing for many thousands of paces before he saw something that made his eyes water. He saw the pinprick of light in the far distance. He dashed forward and closed the distance in the blink of an eye. As he stepped across the threshold he was stunned.

The light was so very, very bright. It felt almost alien on his skin as his eyes slowly adjusted. The cavern and river rather suddenly curved off a mountain side. The river, turned waterfall, cascaded downwards to a destination below that was obscured by clouds. There were other mountains and snow higher up all around him. It was magnificent and also terrifying. He could not see a way down but at least he knew there was more to the world now. He had another objective to add to his list.

After basking in the light for far too long he reluctantly decided to return. When he returned to the croc corpse he found leathery bat winged creatures and another smaller crocodilian chewing on what remained. He roared in frustration and charged but by the time he got to it they had all scattered. He sighed as he stared at the almost completely stripped corpse. He was going to leave it before he remembered his father explaining, in quite literally his past life, how bone marrow could be harvested. There was enough meat, joints, and tissue holding the remains together that David was able to prop it on his back and drag it back to his lair. He hoped Red and Blue would appreciate it and be able to utilize something from it…