In a small field, at the edge of a cliff, stood a small creature. Its appearance reminiscent of the likes of ghosts and its eyes burning like the purest of gold. This being, spiritual in nature, was around forty centimeters tall with no arms and with an impressive set of stump legs.
A laugh similar to a Lemur’s was released from that creature, as if celebrating something.
And indeed it was.
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“Hahaha!!” I was laughing. Not a laugh of bliss, but rather one of relief. After all, I had just arrived at the first milestone. After everything that’s happened up until now, after all the times I almost died and sometimes even did die, I have now seen the first light in the ever so cloudy sky called my future. How could I not laugh?
‘It’s but a first step though. One of many’ Was something that passed through my mind but, how do I even evolve? That’s what I want to know.
‘Maybe it’s like skills? Do I get options?’
Think. Focus on it, on the evolution. On that sensation in my chest that keeps demanding that I do. What is it that I want? Absolute power? Agility? Maybe balance? That’s what is important. To evolve is to satisfy those desires. I want and the world gives… That’s what I feel is appropriate to say.
The knowledge showed that after all, it can’t be wrong… to some extent at least.
My strength as a being, my thoughts, ideals, characteristics and even the very essence of my being, my memories. The accumulation of all those is the form that you achieve after evolution.
In short, every evolution that I experience is influenced by me and me alone. If I want to fly, the world will compromise and evolve me into a creature with wings and hollow bones. If my wish is to have skin of iron to become invincible, it will happen.
Nothing in this world is free though and the law of equivalent exchange is the same no matter the world, so a price of equal value must be paid if the conditions for that evolution aren’t met.You’d get wings but lose the ability to fight on land and have your bones weakened. To have impenetrable skin you’ll lose the ability to eat food and can only consume minerals as well as become extremely heavy.
The point is, preparation before the evolution is key if you want something specific.
For example, since skills influence what you can evolve into, acquiring that skill prior to the evolution is bound to open up the path to it. The same goes for the others. That is the golden rule.
‘There it is’ I found it, or rather them since I apparently have more than one option for this occasion, three to be exact. Didn’t expect that to be honest, I thought that the first was just predetermined by your skills. Thankfully it isn’t… wouldn’t have liked evolving into a cursed spirit or something, not even for fun. Who would want to be seen like a red flag from the first meeting? well maybe those kinds of people but that doesn’t matter.
As I tried focusing on that feeling of longing that weighed on my chest, I felt it. Just like how skills appeared to me at first, it all started with vague sensations and soon, I could tell.
The first was fire. Not literally, but it felt like it. A hot eternally burning fire that spelled destruction and death for any I encounter be it foe or ally, the feeling this gives me tells of a sad death for both. I would lose any ability to conceal myself and lose my rationality to feed the ever burning desire for death. ‘Did I get this option from my liking of the enemy’s energy entering my body after their passing?’ Not that it matters, this is an absolute no-go. It goes against everything that I want after all. Not to mention I get the feeling that if I choose this I won’t be able to go back to how things were.
A reason for even trying to evolve was to do whatever I want and try to understand. Losing my sanity is of course out of the question, no matter how much stronger I become.
The next path was… calmness? No, it was more like peace, closer to what could be described as balance. It was closer to what I’d want in my future. An evolution that deviated from the origin but kept true to its past, one that would allow me to keep most of my skills while opening the possibility of further latent strength. It was a balanced evolution that I qualified for and only served to increase my already existing abilities. A good choice overall but, there is a feeling of uncertainty, like I would lose something important to gain all the others.
The last one was hard to completely understand, almost impossible to even find within my subconscious. I can tell what it entails though.
A peaceful summer night, where no sound exists. That's what it is. This was the path of obscurity, where I to reach the end, something like completely disappearing from even the prying eyes of heaven back on earth would be within the realm of possibility. To obfuscate even your entire existence within the mind of man is what this path offers.
So what’s going to be?
…I don’t know.
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SIx days it has been and I still haven’t decided on what evolutionary path to take. Of course the first is an automatic NO for the aforementioned reasons. Still even with one out of the way, the other two are hard to decide between, with, you know, both being near excellent choices for me.
Though both are perfect, they still have differences.
For example the second offers new possibilities while still keeping things mostly the same. On the other hand the stealth one, in exchange for absolute obfuscation, completely takes away any idea for stronger combat potential.
Both are strong in their own ways but at the same time so far apart from one another, it makes it hard to decide one or the other. But in the end, I decided to decide based on one, simple thing: style.
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Which one of those evolutions looks better? That’s the question currently occupying my mind. I mean if I can’t decide based on other factors, it’s only natural to let my male instinct take over. Will I look better with the balanced path or the stealth? The answer to that question will decide my choice on the matter.
I mean won’t it be funny if I chose and end up with a bad race? It totally would. Probably.
The idea of such a thing brings joy to my (figuratively)cold heart. I would die either way no matter what option I chose, so why care? If the end result is the same, why should the way to solve it matter? It doesn’t, that’s a fact.
So that's the reason why I chose to do it like this. Not that I actually know how I’d look after the evolution though. Precognition isn’t my forte so to say, fashion is.
On that note, fashion is nice. Real nice in fact, even with its hardships. Be it from production of the clothes to even who is wearing them, all of that is a pain. If you look good normally you’ll look good in drags too.
‘So where does that bring me? This is another instance where I have no idea what to do, how to choose and the likes. Usually I’d have some random idea like “why don’t I decide with a game!” and then go along with it. However it isn’t that easy this time, right? Who would even do something stupid like that? Haha…
…
…
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“No,no you are doing it wrong! It’s like this “rock-paper-scissors!” and then you show your choice!” A voice was heard yelling within the ever empty expanse of air that is the air section of the spirit realm. Naturally that voice belongs to me.
“Wok-paper-scrap?” Someone answered. The owner of the new voice belonged to a bulky, thick spirit that stood next to the one and only me. It was about 90cm tall according to earth standards with big, cylinder-like arms to its side. With a big, round head, no reproductive organs and the common grey color as its skin, this was a lowest tier spirit {Spirit}(Infant) that I found at the side of the road(metaphorical).
“NO! It’s “rock-paper-scissors”! How many times must I tell you” I yelled at it.
“I SORRY!” It yelled back.
“As long as you understand. Now go again” One would think we were having a conversation and, to tell the truth, we were. After the idea of deciding with a game came to mind, I realised, I can’t play a game by myself! That would be really sad for someone to see so instead, I thought ‘why not just teach a spirit to play the game and then face off against it?’So here I am.
“Rock-
“YES”
“Paper-
“YES”
“Scigor!”
“NO! Go back! Seriously, how can you not understand this? Are you really how you look? Should I judge the book by its cover? Should I, huh!”
“SORRY! Rock-paper-scissors is hard!” He said as if I would forgive him that easily. Seriously this is a waste of time, why did I even try. Such a blockhead could never underst-
…
“So you can say it after all! Ok let’s go now!” I’m so proud. Is this what parents feel seeing their kids succeed? He finally left the nest… I think I’ll cry. He’s really grown.
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“Alright, you are ready, correct?” I had to make sure. This is the only chance I have to choose, after this it’s just random really. I can’t ignore this feeling any more. “If not just tell me, otherwise it won’t end nice for you”.
After hearing the yes we started, it was finally time. “Rock-paper-scissors SHOOT!” We both shouted. This wasn’t just a game at this point, it was war. One where we couldn’t lose. He because he’d die and me because… So here we were, as our hands moved to make the gestures, the air filled with intensity. Lives were at stake.
With a *thump* our hands unfurled, showing the choices we made at this fight.
He lost. It was paper on rock.
As soon as he saw the result he tried to run, to escape, and he did… for a couple of meters at least. With the second thump of the day I made my choice. The idea was that If he had won I’d choose stealth but, since he lost, the end result was balance. A good choice if I do say so myself.
So without hesitation I chose it, focused my will to the concept in my soul and soon started with the evolution.
Nothing happened at first. I even thought that it didn’t work. That thought didn’t last long though as soon a change was felt.
It was small at first, simply my form sifting a bit… then out of nowhere, golden light started gathering and soon, I started morphing, my body changing. I grew taller, my legs longer, thinner. Arms sprung out from my shoulders and I felt myself becoming more stable, if that makes sense. This shortly stopped. I felt disappointed that this was the only change.
Then, as if responding to my disappointment, the brilliant gold aura that bathed me started experiencing changes too. It flowed and sifted like water, it grew more dense, similar to fog and soon something more primal took its place. A dark green colored water flowed, its appearance that of jade with patches of marble white here and there spread on it. It dispersed, mistified and like its predecessor it too, enveloped me. This time though the effects were more distinct. Whereas the golden light changed my appearance a bit this one did more. As my body absorbed it, I grew stronger, my ability to control the element of air better and my clothes instead of rags now proper.
I was enjoying the process until a feeling arose, I was burning. It was hot, very hot. I knew immediately, I gained control of fire. It was simply pathetic compared to air though so it didn’t really matter. That’s what I thought before it hit me. Well ‘hit me’ might not be completely accurate. It was a familiar feeling, like being stabbed, only this time it wasn’t just that. It was as If someone was pulling something out of me. ‘Is this the important thing?’ I knew that I’d lose something important but this, just doesn’t feel right.
It was pulling that’s for sure but, it didn’t feel like it’d lose anything. In fact it was closer to the feeling I got from the mist, like something was experiencing a change inside me.
The process soon ended after I had absorbed all the mist inside me. The result was there for everyone to see. I had changed. My height now closer to 150cm, my form thinner and my new strength unmatched by any infant. I felt exhilarated.
There were, however, two bizarre things that changed. First, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t feel {Curse} anywhere. It is as If it disappeared and in its place, one word came to mind: {Seal}. Was this a different skill? I don’t know.
The second was the weirdest. You see, before there was this feeling of wanting to get stronger, to evolve, but now? Nothing. Perhaps it was because I had a lifespan that the urge to get stronger overwhelmed me the closer I got to evolving. Now there is nothing. Now I can tell, I had achieved the basic characteristic of a spirit, immortality. I no longer had a lifespan. Even if the world ended, as long as I don’t die from outside causes, death won’t be a concept that I will ever get familiar with. I’d live my life just lazing around with no drive, no reason to get stronger. . I’d just exist
At Least that’s what would have happened if I hadn’t died twice already. Now it doesn’t matter whether or not I have an annoying urge to get stronger. I just will, at my own pace, no matter how long it takes.
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