I slowly opened my eyes, letting them adjust to the world’s newfound brightness. I peered around my surroundings, trying to get a quick understanding of my surroundings so I wasn’t walking blind.

Directly in front of me was a lake, calling it a pond would be a big understatement. It stretched out very far, to the point where I couldn’t see where it ended. Next to the lake were very tall oak and pine trees. They were relatively normal. A few had strange leaf colors but that was the least strange thing right now. Below the trees were abundant amounts of tall grass and ferns that reached just past my legs. If I were to guess then I am probably about the size of a dog. Further to my left was a big stone wall, looking around more I could see that this stone wall stretched very far in all directions.

Compared to everything else the stone wall looked the least natural. It seemed to be incredibly polished at some spots, while other spots were severely cracked. Looking back at the woods, I saw a rabbit. Only it didn’t look like a rabbit. Instead, it had two antlers proudly positioned on its head. I KNEW IT!!! JACKALOPES ARE REAL, THE GOVERNMENT WAS LIEING.

Either way, I know that I am not in Kansas anymore. Guess I'm not human too. Oh well, I might as well see what I look like. Slowly I walked over to the pond. Staring down at it I got a good look at my new face. I looked like a lizard, no surprise there after all I had scales, a horn, even a tail. The only thing that did confuse me are my eyes. I expected them to be normal after all nothing told me they were different when I was looking at my status.

My eyes were like a cat's with a dark red iris. I guess I can live with this. Looking at my scales I saw that they were knit tightly around me, no openings and no skin as far as I could tell. The color of my scales are a magnificent blue. I can defiantly live with this

Now that I understood what I looked like I was going to explore, a grand adventure it would have been!!! /Hello there lizard. Now that your done admiring yourself it’s time for us to get to work/. Why does something always have to interrupt me!?

I slightly jumped when I heard the voice, a real voice. Not one of the voices in my head and not the voice of the system. Instead, it sounded like the voice of a real person. This new voice sounded like someone singing a sweet melody, but it sounded strange, not quite human. In my shock, I tried to shout, but my new body made it sound more like a surprised yip. /No need to get scared. I made you, after all. Sadly you are far worse than what I was trying to make. Why couldn't you have been a nature spirit or a satyr or... something better than a filth lizard. You will have to do until I can get more aether. To think that I wasted all of it to help this one little creature grow. You had better become worth it/.

I just stood still as I listened to the ramblings of a voice in my head. Confused and unsure of what I should do. Alright, what the hell are you! No response was given. I just stood there, waiting for a response. After a while I looked around, finding nothing else was in the forest besides me. Why does this world have to be so weird? I SHALL SLAY YOU FOUL TELEPATHIC FISH OR WHATEVER YOU ARE.

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/Oh its getting agitated. Amusing little thing aren't you. Well, go do what monsters do on their free time or somethi- never mind. I have a job for you little one/. This voice was starting to get on my nerves. I snapped at the air a couple of times, hoping it was a ghost or something I could bite. /My little monster, something is encroaching on our territory. Kill it/.

Upon hearing my instructions I felt an impulse. A cold shiver running up my spine. Slowly from behind a tree, something crawled, a strange green human. No it wasn’t a human, it had long and pointy ears, the white of its eyes are dark yellow. Along with that the creatures arms were longer than its legs and abnormally skinny. It wasn’t a human /this is a goblin/. Slowly the impulse began to grow stronger. A large, scaly smile grew along my face.

Hi friend, I think I'm hungry right now. Maybe you should relax and get in my stomach. The goblin slowly crawled towards me on all fours. As it got closer to me I tried forming a plan, but every time I tried to think the impulse to attack grew stronger. Once the goblin got close to me the impulse to attack took over. I jumped forward, its long slender arms flailed upwards like it was surprised. One of the arms had the displeasure of being used to try and push me upwards mid-air. When I fell down the arm gave a loud snap.

The goblin began to scream as I lifted one of my legs upwards. I wanted to stop, this creature was scared and in pain. /A monster feeling empathy, you really are an odd one. Well, I didn’t want to waste more aether but this might take a while otherwise. Kill it now/. This time the command sent a wave of pain to my head, I knew how to end the pain. I slashed downwards, cutting open the goblins neck.

No no no, I didn’t want to kill this thing, damn it. STUPID TELEPATHIC FISH, TREE, GOD THING!!! Well, I already killed it, no point in letting the meat go to waste. After all this thinking, I was hungry. Opening my jaws, I crunched down on the goblin's shoulder. As I was in the middle of eating the voice returned to interrupt my meal. /Such a cute and strange little monster you are/. Well at least it called me cute, that’s more of a compliment than I ever got on earth. /You were supposed to wait for me to take its aether. How come all the other cores get nice and obedient mammals, while I am stuck with a lizard/.

After I finished eating I gave a loud yawn. It sounded far too cute for my liking. Why can’t I just be a nice big lizard? Also, why can’t I be human!!! WHY AM I HERE!!! WHY IS EATING A GOBLIN NORMAL. CURSE YOU CTHULU. I began to shake my head, unsure of what my thoughts even meant anymore.

/You seem stressed little monster, come sleep. I won’t need you for a while/. Upon hearing the voice again I turned to my left, seeing a large birch tree that I hadn't noticed before. It had a bright green crystal that seemed to be melted into the trunk. Without thinking I slowly walked towards it, feeling more tired with every step. Laying down by its roots, I closed my eyes.

I am a monster now. I used to be a human but I am one no more. I’m a lizard, and I work for a big birch tree with a big green rock in it.