While I had no idea what this wind expelling thing was, Arwa shared none of my hesitation or surprise, seemingly. Without a word from me, she rushed forward just about as quickly as the mystery creature had. As my wolf companion disappeared into the brush, I decided to take care of the quoll before chasing after Arwa. The quoll was just like how all quoll were as far as I remembered, but I supposed I couldn’t be sure of that given the supremely strange creature I’d just seen.

The quoll was a small predator, and while it posed no mortal threat to me, they were known to be a creature you didn’t hunt unless you were foolhardy or supremely confident. This one stood just a bit over one foot tall, and with its four legs on the ground, I supposed it was maybe two and a half feet long, if counting its tail. The whole body of the beast was sleek, built to slink through the tangled underbrush of the jungles, the dense foliage of the treetops, and the small warrens of certain subterranean creatures like dulgar.

When the quoll felt my eyes settle on it, it whirled to face me, snarled in warning, and began to back away into the brush. The gall of this beast, hissing at me? Thinking it could escape from me without my permission? I snarled back at the quoll and lunged at it, but it dodged my bite and swiped its claws at my eye. Only barely did I manage to get my head turned enough to prevent the scrappy beast from blinding me, and the irritated pique that had previously filled me was replaced by an incandescent rage.

Immediately, I filled my throat to bursting with my magic from my sonilphon. Instead of merely screaming at it wordlessly, though, I channeled more of my will into it. As I had spent more time more deliberately using my magic and influencing it with my desires and choices while understanding how my will affected the results of my magic, I came to understand the effect of my will on what my magic could and would do. That was how I more completely understood the differences between [Debilitating Diatribe], [Innervating Address], and [Nurturing Enunciation], and could continue to develop more magic.

With that greater, better understood will, I infused my derision, my superiority, and my innate, personal strength into my roar. The sound shook not only the leaves, but the branches and even the trunks of nearby trees began to rattle with the absolute brute force of my voice and magic. Before me, the quoll began to shiver before nearly fainting from the power of my sonic attack. I didn’t allow it to begin to recover, though, and simply bent down with a single, final snick of my jaws to end its life. Its ferocity belied its size, since with my single bite, I could fit nearly half of it into my mouth.

After a moment’s hesitation, I simply leaned down and, with a couple quick bites, swallowed the little beast. As I did so, I noted the flashing [System] notification.

[New Skill acquired. Status updated.]

As I idly began to follow Arwa’s trail towards the mysterious creature that had been fighting with the quoll, I looked over my new [Skill].

[New Skill: Crippling Cry; a skill granted to those whose mastery of sonic magic has grown beyond the obvious and immediate, now allowing the resonance of their magic to more deeply influence and harm even the most hardened and prepared. The initial use of sonic magic for most is a simple sonic blast, and Crippling Cry serves as an evolution to the simple and mundane. Crippling Cry sends a blast of sonic magic in the direction of the user’s choosing, and easily serves to unsteady, weaken, and, in extreme cases, kill outright. This Skill cannot evolve–This Skill can evolve. Requirements: Kill 5 creatures directly and solely with Crippling Cry. Progress: 0/5]

For the first time, I saw a [Skill]’s description update in real time, and, as it did so, I realized what acquiring this [Skill] meant for me. As I began to look more completely through my [Status], I whistled high and loud, a sign for Arwa to return to me, and then I stood still to look through all that had changed for me.

[Previous Organ: Profound Sonilphon; an advanced version of the rare magic manipulating organ, Sonilphon. This organ is developed by those who are beginning to understand the possibilities of sonic magic beyond mere sound. Due to evolution, there is a +5 bonus to the Magic Stat. The Profound Sonilphon’s rate of ambient magic conversion to sonic attributed magic within the organ is greatly enhanced. Additionally, the development of new Skills related to sonic magic and the Sonilphon is hastened, with greater understanding and clarity granted to the User. This organ can evolve. Requirements: Development of 5 Skills based on sonic magic. Current progress: 5/5]

[Current Organ: Fathomless Sonilphon; an exceptionally advanced version of the rare magic manipulating organ, Sonilphon. This organ is developed by those who have moved past elementary understanding of what sonic magic can do, and are understanding what sonic magic is. Due to evolution, there is an additional +10 bonus to the Magic Stat and a +5 bonus to the intelligence Stat. The Fathomless Sonilphon’s reserves for magic are expanded greatly from that of the Profound Sonilphon, and the Fathomless Sonilphon’s rate of ambient magic conversion to sonic attributed magic within the organ is enhanced beyond that of the Profound Sonilphon. Additionally, any development of a new Skill related to sonic magic and the Sonliphon will be rewarded with bonus Stats. This organ can evolve. Requirements: Unqualified, 0/2]

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I was taken aback at the sheer amount of information that began to fill my mind, and then by the feeling of my sonilphon beginning to greedily suck in the ambient magic in the air and convert it to sonic magic. While the amount of magic I had used to stun the quoll had been about one fifth of my reserves before the sonilphon’s evolution, it now was maybe one fifteenth, and so far as I could tell, my magical reserves would be back to full within the next quarter hour.

More surprising than that, though, was the bonus to my Stats, as well as the updates given to all my sonilphon-related [Skills]. I had been somewhat surprised that none of those had been capable of evolution, but now that my sonilphon had progressed, so too could all these [Skills]. I looked at each one before diving into my [Status].

[Skill: Debilitating Diatribe; allows the Skill holder to use their words and lace them with magic to sap energy, excitement, and morale, as well as to occasionally incite obedience in the listener. This Skill can evolve. Requirements: Use Debilitating Diatribe as the primary catalyst for the surrender in a hostile force of at least 100. Progress: 0/1.

[Skill: Innervating Address; a Skill granted to those whose mastery of sonic magic has grown to allow them to use their words laced with magic to grant greater energy and confidence in the listener. This Skill can evolve. Requirements: Use Innervating Address to significantly raise morale of a force of at least 200 while in battle. Progress: 0/1

[Skill: Nurturing Enunciation; a skill granted to those whose mastery of sonic magic has grown beyond the obvious and immediate, now allowing the resonance of their magic to influence and assist even the most vulnerable and weak. Those whose development is assisted and guided by Nurturing Enunciation gain Stats, Skills, Titles, and other benefits more easily until they have reached adulthood. Note: this Skill can only be used on fetuses, infants, and juveniles. This Skill can evolve. Requirements: Use Nurturing Enunciation to more than double what would be the Stat total of a creature. Progress: 0/50.

[Skill: Quaking Claw; an active Skill that sends a concentrated flow of sonic magic to a specific location. The sonic magic’s vibrations cause the affected area to vibrate in a way that facilitates cutting and tearing. When paired with a sharp extremity or sharpened held tool, Quaking Claw will show its greatest effectiveness. This Skill can evolve. Requirements: Hidden.]

[Status:

Name: Ashlani

Race: Sonic Khatif Alpha

Titles: Disciple of Nievtala

Current quests:

-Hunt 3 new species. Reward will vary depending upon the evolutionary level of prey. Base reward: Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +2. Progress: Adult Human, Adult Quoll.

-Attain victory in combat against a foe numbering more than 50 adult combatants. Reward: Constitution, Strength +6 Agility +4 Intelligence, Magic +5.

-Speak the entirety of the True Words of Power of Nievtala. Rewards: Upgrade to Title: Disciple of Nievtala; Acquisition of Skill: Voice of the Divine; Constitution, Strength, Agility, Intelligence, Magic +8.

Stats:

-Constitution: 73+5=78

-Strength: 84+5=89

-Agility: 88+5=93

-Intelligence: 73+5+5=83

-Magic: 74+5+10=89

Skills:

Adversary: 5/10

Combatant’s Bloodlust: 1/4 (Imperial Bearing)

Conqueror’s Rebuke: 0/5

Evolutionary foresight (Cannot Evolve)

Evolutionary Guide (Cannot Evolve)

Exceptional Individual (Cannot Evolve)

Imperial Bearing (Cannot Evolve)

Improved Vision: 0/18

Innate Leadership (Cannot Evolve)

Pack Tactics: 4/10

Pain Tolerance (Cannot Evolve)

Fathomless Sonilphon: Unqualified, 0/2

-Crippling Cry: 0/5

-Debilitating Diatribe: 0/1

-Innervating Address: 0/1

-Nurturing Enunciation: 0/50

-Quaking Claw (Requirements Hidden)

True Dominance: 0/5

Evolutionary Possibilities

-Sonic Khatif Swarm Alpha: Become the undisputed leader of a swarm of at least 250 keelish. Progress: 186/250, disputed

-Sonic Keel: Speak the entirety of the True Words of Power of Nievtala. Progress: 0/1

Other evolutions possible, but not currently foreseen. Progress further, and such possibilities will be presented to you.]

I felt the grin cross my face more fully. Even though [Quaking Claw] hadn’t given me the evolutionary requirements, every single one of these [Skills] could continue to grow. And I would get every single one to.