So far my powers seem to work on elements, animals, monsters, and dragons. It doesn’t work on the chosen of the divine. I might be able to get fiends and celestials depending on some unknown cosmic conditions. They usually followed gods and had their own rules for death so I would need to try and see. The unknown cosmic aberrations might be possible but some of them are very scary and bringing them to my realm is a horrifying idea. No idea about the undead. Giants will probably work as will plants. I have been able to creature all manner of plant life in the Soul Dream but living plants like Treants are unknown. I really want a construct form but I don’t know of many with souls and most are nice people. So many different types of creatures and even more subtypes.

I flew north over the Flotket Alps towards Kravaraad. The volcano has constant streams of lava pouring out of it that attracts many powerful creatures to the surrounding area. The northern side of the mountain has been claimed by Fire Giants. I am tempted to kill one but need to be careful. In the explorers guide there is a high-level adventure that has players fight their way into the volcano and the treasure hall of the Giants. At the end, it is guarded by an Adult Red Dragon. I am tempted to give it a shot. I can find and kill a Fire Giant and sneak my way to the dragon. I could free the creature or offer it the Soul Dream. If I free it I will probably regret it when it causes some destruction somewhere. The personality of Dragons is determined usually by the color of their scales and Red Dragons are the kings of pride, greed, and wrath.

Might just say fuck it and kill the dragon. If he can’t handle it that’s too bad. Now the Fire Giants I can give zero fucks about. They are basically 18-foot-tall heavy metal bandits. They steal treasure, kidnap people to work in mines, and all around dicks. I won’t feel bad about what I might have to do to them. I mean I shouldn’t judge a book by its cover of course but I will not hold back.

My first target was near the volcano. A mammoth was fighting back against two griffons. They were swooping down on the mammoth while it tried to run towards a forest. The bird lions might have a nest somewhere. Tiny could figure that out. I charged a frost breath and swooped down to show them what the king of the sky could do. I wasn’t exactly subtle so I needed to fly low and fast. The griffons saw me first and panicked, escaping the range of my breath so I couldn’t get both them and the mammoth. I decided to let the griffons leave and hunt the mammoth.

The poor elephant was bleeding badly from long gashes on its back. It might survive on its own but it could also die to its injuries soon. My frost breath froze a large portion of its body and the huge beast tripped over its own icy body. I covered my talons with a little elemental fire and grabbed his head and body. I tried to make his death quick but it was hard to do with all his fur and muscle. Once the beast was dead I took to the air with his body. I would use it somewhere else as bait.

………

The bait attracted a few wolves but not much else. I didn’t need the wolf forms so I left them alone. There might be frost spiders in the forests around here but I didn’t want to spend all that time trying to find them. I would probably encounter some kind of twisted spiders in the Savalirwoods anyway. I wanted it mostly for the webbing. I wonder if anyone in this world domesticates spiders so they can farm the silk. Might be hard because of the Spider Queen Lolth. She might try and shut those businesses down.

Kravaraad was only a mountain away now. I fly over as a Raven and keep my eyes out for any massive Kaijus tearing through the area. I channeled both the cold and fire energy inside me to become immune to their effects. With the powers of the Absorber, I could hold my breath for a couple of hours. So I was able to enter the volcano if I needed to. Honestly, I felt like I was trying to psych myself up into doing it. The potential reward is a fucking lot but there is a literal mountain of unknowns between me and the gold. Should I give it a try? Yes, I think I will. First I need a Fire Giant form.

The north face of Kravaraad had a few rivers of slow-moving lava coming out of the peak and some vents. The peak of the volcano only revealed more lava. The vaults must be hidden inside some caverns the giants have built. I can see some kind of black metal fortress near the peak of the volcano. It is covered in carbon residue and sharp metal spikes. Giant warriors covered from head to toe in metal armor move along the walls watching everything that passes by. They seemed bored as nothing probably comes this far up the mountain often.

I transformed into a bat and looked at the most distracted giant I could find. He was on the eastern wall facing the long cloud of smoke coming out of the volcano. He was barely paying attention as he was shining his armor with a rag. Infiltrating the keep, I can see that it seems to actually be a tower. The stairs that lead to the top wall continue down well past what should have been some kind of ground level. I can see lights flickering at least 400 feet down and the subtle sound of clanging metal. Lave poured out of holes in the wall leading down and I could hear voices deep below. The structure curved into the volcano so I couldn’t see the bottom but this was impressive. The Fire Giants were practitioners of ruincrafting which they used to make wondrous magical artifacts and structures that could last thousands of years.

Stolen novel; please report.

I turned my gaze away from the architectural marvel and back to the Giant on the wall. He was now spitting over the wall trying to see how far he could shoot it. I rested on the ledge of one of the battlements and watched him. He leaned over the edge and gargled flem trying to fire his longest shot yet. I placed myself in a runner’s pose and waited. He breathed in and spit. I then leaped at him quickly transforming into the Roc and tackled him over the fortress wall. A few people cried out in panic at the sight but I wasn’t concerned. The giant crashed into the hard and hot stone below.

“ALARM! ALARM!” He screamed.

I landed on him and crushed him in my talons. With my prey acquired I flew into the air leaving the fortress and volcano behind. Alarms and the cranking of gears sounded out. About a minute into my flight, a huge crossbow bolt flew past me. It had missed by about 30 feet but that was still too close. The Giants seemed to have more ballista as a second came within 15 feet. I kept flying and turning now and then to hopefully fuck up their aim. All the while the Giant was squirming in my claws. He got an arm free and was now stabbing into my talons. Once I was out of the range of ballista I blew a frost breath over him.

“FUCK! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU BIRD! DIE!” He screamed.

The poor bastard was having a rough night. That was the problem with fighting stronger targets. They didn’t die easy. I bet a Giant could live without half their body for probably over 10 minutes as they possessed supernatural toughness. I threw him at a mountain. The cap exploded in a shower of snow and he barely managed to hold on and not tumble down it. Not that he would have a choice as I shifted into the Sea Serpent and smashed into him. We tumbled for a bit as an avalanche grew around us. Wrapped in my tail he stabbed at my scales with a twisted black iron knife that was more like a greatsword in his hands.

“WHAT THE SHIT!” He yelled and drove the knife in between my scales.

I roared in pain and belched frost at him. He was covered in ice and his armor was battered. Blood flowed down his grey skin as he had lost parts of his face to frostbite.

“Is that all you got bitch,” he said to me.

I smashed him into the snow a few times until his body went limb. His armor was fucked. I kind of wanted to keep it for myself but I guess I will have to work without it for now. Wait? Every other form I had didn’t need clothes. If I transformed into him would I be naked? Swinging dick and all? I had gotten over wanting a bigger dick a long time ago when I got Atlas but this was a little much. I don’t want to wander around naked. I need to find clothes later. What to do now though? I guess I will head back to Uthodurn and get a room.

……………….

The problem with gaining all these forms and killing so much is I haven’t taken the time to practice every ability. There was a ton of shit I hadn’t done. I never talked with the assassin I killed in Bysaes Tyl. I haven’t spoken with the Shorewardens either and now I had the Fire Giant as well.

“Rubert,” I said.

“Yes boss,” he replied.

“How is the assassin?” I asked.

“He is fine. He knew what he was getting himself into when he tried to kill Amra. He is processing his failure right now. Like many of the Shorewardens, he is a little happy about ending up here. Not all of them lived good lives and if you didn’t come along they would most certainly have ended up in the Nine Hells. When you are ready you can go and meet them whenever,” Rubert said.

“I will soon. I am going to meet the giant first,” I said.

“That might be good. He is currently drinking whatever ales Hardok has been able to recreate. Creating new or old foods has been a unique experience,” Rubert said.

I left him to his work and walked to the forest. Hardok had taken to using the rivers as his domain. He was working on creating as many dwarven commodities as he could at the moment, ale being his number one project. I found the giant chugging an endless keg.

“Hello,” I said.

“Leave me be small folk. I don’t have the spirit to deal with you lot now,” he said.

“Sorry to hear that. I know you just got here so it must be rough,” I said.

“Ah yea. Dying doesn’t bother me too much. We all expected it to happen sooner or later. It’s beenin separated from all tha others. Unless tha monster kills more of my kind I won’t see another like me ever again,” he said.

“You want him too?” I asked.

“Oh, sure. He killed me so might as well. The only thing that matters to us is living bravely and enjoying an afterlife amongst friends. So if the bastard shifter kills some more that means we can celebrate our reunion. This place doesn’t seem too bad. Ya got endless mead. It tastes like shit but I bet I can fix that,” he said.

“Huh. No resentment then?” I asked.

“Nah. He snuck his way into our fortress and caught me off guard. It’s my fault for being distracted,” he said.

“Alright fair enough. Whats your name then?” I asked.

“Furengur,” he said.

“Well Furengur, it was a good battle,” I said.

“Whatcha meaAH?” He said as my eyes glowed and my hand grew to touch his soul and make the connection. You want more drinking buddies? I can do that I guess.