[NAME: Meda]
[TIER: 1]
[EVOLTION: Wind Elemental]
[MUTATIONS: Shattered Form, Unnoticeable Flight, Hasty Flight, Touch of Wind]
[GOALS:
North Wind Elemental: Hours of ice mana contact survived: 0/5
Gale Elemental: Monsters Killed: 0/25
Eerie Wind Elemental: Beings Terrified: 0/1
Maelstrom Elemental: Water Elementals Killed: 0/3
]
[FULFILL EVOLUTION GOALS TO ADVANCE HIGHER, ALONG WITH HIDDEN GOALS TO OBTAIN MORE EVOLUTIONARY ENERGY.]
[PRESENTING EVOLUTION GOALS...]
OPTION 1: North Wind Elemental: Begin the path to the chilling wind of a True Blizzard Elemental. Combine the elements of wind and ice in a devastating combination. To unlock, survive 5 hours of ice mana contact. Hours of ice mana contact survived: 0/5
OPTION 2: Gale Elemental: Begin the path of a Bladed Gale Elemental. Harness wind into pure cutting force ideal for slaughter. To unlock, kill 25 other Monsters. Monsters Killed: 0/25
OPTION 3: Eerie Wind Elemental: Begin the path of a Scourge Wind Elemental. Upon unlocking, you may choose to form a pain, fear, or weakness Aura for free. To unlock, utterly terrify 1 fully sentient and sapient being. Beings Terrified: 0/1
OPTION 4: Maelstrom Elemental: Begin the path of a Primordial Storm Elemental. Harness wind and water into jagged ripping force ideal for destruction. To unlock, kill 3 Water Elementals. Water Elementals Killed: 0/3
]
The choices all looked amazing. Meda would look over them later, once it had been assured of its own safety. These decisions should not be rushed.
Didn't we just rush the last decisio-
These decisions should not be rushed.
It harnessed Hasty Flight, flattening the grass as it shot into the air. Its speed was nowhere near close to the uninjured Horror or even the Undead Hated that had tried to kill it, but there was still the feeling that it was far faster than it was supposed to be. It rose out of the valley and looked out over the field. Or, as the Evolution System had called it, the Crater of Blood. In the distance, there did seem to be mountains ringing the field, which itself stretched almost as far as the metaphorical eye could see.
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The field was just as war-torn as before its evolution, if a bit more evenly distributed due to the lack of a Horror. A few other Wind Elementals rose above the field, accompanied by several Spirits, Swarms, and winged Myths. All of them were very visible, even if they weren't making a show of trying to kill each other. Spirits themselves were hazy, but the spells they flung were bright. Myths were often either massive or incredibly gaudy. And Wind Elementals had their Cores, of course.
Meda even saw what looked to be a mass of snow drifting through the sky. The veritable cloud was supporting a pure white Core, which was itself surrounded by an armor of glistening ice. The Monster was likely something down the path of a North Wind Elemental. Perhaps Tier 3 or 4? It was in the middle of fighting a Swarm of ravens whose beaks and claws were painted with blood, which was quickly freezing in the Elemental's presence.
The birds were many, and assuredly not as weak as the wasp Swarm that Meda had seen was, but there was simply nothing they could do. Even those who got past the blades of snow, ice, and wind simply dropped out of the air, dead from the cold. It was a terrifying display of power, but also exciting. This was the power that could be welded by an Elemental in its aspect of nature. It was something to reach for.
As it rose higher, a Myth happened to fly in Meda's direction. It was lazily flapping its insectile wings, and its eyes were surveying the landscape below it slowly. It hadn't noticed the elemental at all. Perfect.
The thing was about as large as the Horror had been, reminiscent of a mantis, and absolutely covered in spikes. Unlike with the Horror, there was a sort of fractal symmetry to them, as if the Monster had shattered as part of an evolution. Based on the size and complexity of its form, the Myth was likely at least Tier 2. And if the hidden Goals for killing something stronger than you remained between evolutions, it was the ideal piece of prey.
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The insect flitted through the air gracefully, unaware of its impending doom. In fact, it flitted directly through Meda, brushing aside wind and small shards of Core. As it drew up its wings to flap them once more, the limbs were suddenly and violently pulled it its side. Almost all of the Monster's evolution energy had gone towards its nearly impervious spiky armor, leaking the strength of its wings comparatively lacking. The appendages were strong enough to lift it, but that was it.
The wings had been bound to the Monster's side by chains of blue crystal, supported by a darting wind that held each individual link with doting care. The chain was looped around its own spikes, making its attempts to break free only hurt it more. Even if a single segment of the chain shattered, it would simply fade to dust before reforming to bind the Myth again. Its legs, the limbs with actual strength, couldn't reach far enough back to help, leaving the Myth to flounder in the air as it began its fall.
Inhuman screeches and hissing filled the air, but were quickly torn away as the ground came closer and closer. The Monster simply couldn't comprehend what was happening. It was a Tier 3 being! It was a Fractal Spike Mantis! It had slain dozens of Monsters, watching the charge to their own death upon its spikes!
The chains and wind twisted the Myth until it was facing straight down, the position letting it get even faster. Another hand of wind grabbed the Monster's jaw and pulled its head towards the ground, not letting it brace for the impact in the slightest. The ground grew closer and close-
The Myth's world went blank.
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Yes.
Yes, Wind Elemental had been the right choice.