As I moved briskly through the forest, I eventually reached a clearing. The forest was eerily quiet, as though it held its breath, devoid of the usual sounds of insects and birds. Only the wind whispering through the trees remained, lending an eerie ambiance to the surroundings.

Several hundred meters away from the clearing, I stumbled upon a desolate area littered with rusty, burnt car wrecks, discarded petrol drums, charred wood, and the pungent odor of refuse. The air was tainted with the scent of old alcohol, the acrid stench of burnt coffee, dog excrement, and the fresh paint aroma of graffiti.

Hunger gnawed at my insides, and I was suddenly overwhelmed by fatigue and pounding headaches. All I wanted was to catch something and then find rest or find rest and then catch something. My thoughts were in turmoil, and I couldn't decide.

I attempted to utilize my infrared vision, scanning the area for potential prey. To my chagrin, I spotted rabbits. I couldn't help but cringe at the idea of hunting these seemingly innocent creatures. Nevertheless, I hoped that the gnawing emptiness in my stomach would suppress any feelings of guilt and sharpen my instinct.

So, I went after the rabbits, trying to be discreet. I targeted those farther away from the forest, where rabbit burrows were plentiful.

With ease, I scaled a building, a height of around twenty-five meters, and perched on its roof. Silently, I leaped into the void, extending my arms and wings to minimize noise. I poised my hind legs for a secure grip and retracted my razor-sharp black claws, ready to mercilessly impale my next meal.

Death descended upon the field, and one rabbit followed by another met their fate in my two claws, quickly followed by two more.

Their demise was instantaneous, I hoped, painless. I comforted myself with the thought that I was saving the vegetation from these pests to quell my guilt.

Now it was time for dinner. I ventured into the complex, a canvas of graffiti tags, stealthily entering through the garage. My claws on the concrete and shattered glass were the only sounds.

I searched for a concrete staircase sturdy enough to bear my weight, which I assumed to be at least that of an elephant, if not more. A trip to a truck scale would confirm it.

The first floor proved to have concrete flooring, strewn with old mattresses and devoid of glass. I arranged a makeshift nest with the mattresses and improvised a barbecue using an oil tank. I gathered some wood, breaking apart decrepit furniture for fuel.

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I breathed fire onto the wood, and the flames danced vigorously from the barrel to the barbecue. I was ready.

While I waited for the flames to subside and turn a fiery red, I proceeded to skin and skewer the rabbits with a metal rod I found at the bottom of the stairs. I seasoned them with salt, pepper, and herbs, which my dragon instincts craved and I'd collected on my way through the forest. I tossed the herbs into the fire to infuse the meat with their smoky flavor.

It struck me how different my tastes had become. In my human form, I had detested eating rabbit, finding these animals too endearing. I had always had a soft spot for all things cute, including reptiles like the panther gecko, the intelligent and amusing bearded dragon, and the ever-huggable tegu.

Ah, the meat melted in my mouth. I devoured two rabbits, saving one for breakfast and one for my journey. I couldn't help but wonder if I were a black hole, eternally hungry.

But drowsiness enveloped me, and I realized I was growing. I sighed inwardly, realizing this never-ending cycle of hunger and growth.

So, I settled comfortably by the fire, curled up in a circle and draped a canvas cover over myself, blending in with an old sofa beside the fire.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

A dream... The world was a buffet of cookies, ice cream, beer, sausages, hamburgers, sauces of every color. Houses resembled those in the tale of Hansel and Gretel, minus the witch—just a buffet waiting for me. I set the children free, playfully swatting their behinds, and indulged in an endless feast.

Ahh, I wasn't called "The Devourer" for nothing. Outside, I spotted a river of red. I flapped my wings and descended, tasting the iron in the air. My tongue sliced through it, savoring the energy, the blood.

I thrust my head into the river, drinking deeply, a sensation like honeyed wine. But I had to stop; I wasn't a vampire.

I am Daathrr, I am YVAN. Y.V.A.A.N.N. GRRRRRR.

OCTAHEDRON ---- Contact activated. Host status -- ADMINISTRATOR --- DAMAGE IDENTITY Kernel OF THE DEVOURER ---

---- PRIORITY TO EVOLUTION - PRIORITY TO THE SAFETY OF THE ORGANISM.

Huh? I'm a computer now?

My head spun, and screens appeared in my vision. But they were blank, except for the options to switch between normal, IR, and UV modes. A cursor appeared, movable like a PC mouse but more like a 3D ray in a VR headset.

I pointed to the top left, and a map materialized, with dissipating fog as I examined different areas, akin to Google Earth. "I'll be back," I mumbled, recalling Terminator. The menu now glowed red.

I pondered color theory and summoned a spectroscope as a square. I could analyze materials, revealing elemental peaks.

I thought of speaking, and a waveform screen appeared. But speaking to whom?

Suddenly, searing pain coursed through my larynx and then my horns. They were breaking. AAAAAARGH!

AAAAH! AAAAH! AAAAH! Please, make it stop!

--- OCTAHEDRON --- ENDURE EVOLUTION ---

AAAH, STOOOOP PLEASE.

Metal rings formed on my horns, two curving backward toward my wings. A membrane filled with crystalline structures unfurled between them. Repetitive geometric patterns merged within, electrodes embedded.

The pain was unbearable. RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! RAH! My wings burned as fractal and honeycomb scales underwent metamorphosis.

AAARGHHHHH!

I awoke panting, lying on the nest, sheltered. Something was lying on me, reeking of alcohol!!!!!!!!!!!!