Again? Why is this so difficult?
For the past few hours, Lasair had been trying to make an ability. Not ten seconds after being created, [TOXIC MIST] had crumbled to dust. Her latest attempts had not fared much better. She had the feeling that it had to do with the instructions, or lack thereof. The ability wanted to accomplish its purpose, but didn't know how. It had a picture of the finished product, but no way to achieve it. So Lasair couldn't just rip off Dark Souls.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Mirage flying into the Aviary. The [FIRE-BIRD] had left to stretch her wings a little while ago, and had now returned. She settled in her nest, before beginning to speak.
"Mother, I bring news. The hunter is within sight of our mountain. He will likely be here early tomorrow. He is accompanied by an... interesting individual."
What do you mean 'interesting'?
"My sight is far, far superior to that of their kind. And yet, As they were still at the edge of my sight, he turned to watch me. It was... unnerving. Like a chill down my feathers. The cloak made of pure darkness didn't help my impression of him either."
That must be the trader that elf boy had mentioned. 'Interesting' certainly seemed to work as a description, but she trusted elf boy's judgement. She thanked Mirage for the information before turning her thoughts to preparation. She wanted to have something new to show elf boy. Besides the new look that was. Abilities were possible, she could feel it. But Lasair also knew that they were not within her time frame.
So... perhaps a new creature? Running a feather through her fire affinity had unlocked the birds, so it stood to reason that other natural animals could be converted. She had Mirage leave her nest once more, this time on a hunting trip. The bird returned just as the sun was setting, with an animal in each claw and a few more held in cages of air. A few burnt bodies and a very singed raccoon later, she only had one option left.
It was a lizard. Just a lizard. The thing had even slept through getting captured! It seemed entirely defenseless, and Lasair had no idea how evolution had allowed its existence. But, she still had to try. She ran her fire affinity over the thing, and just like all the others, no notification popped up. But the lizard was not burned. It opened it's eyes. Suddenly, she felt it calling to her affinity. But not fire, no. Mana.
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{CREATURE [MANAMANDER] UNLOCKED. USE [SPAWN] TO CREATE [MANAMANDER]? Y/N}
[INSPECT]: [MANAMANDER]: A SMALL BEAST WHICH CAN FEED ON MANA ITSELF. WHILE WEAK IN MOST PHYSICAL ASPECTS, MANAMANDERS ARE INCREDIBLY SOUGHT AFTER AS FAMILIARS FOR MAGES.
A blue color spread across the lizard's back, and its eyes lit up a brilliant cerulean. The mana around it swirled as like a vortex until...
It took a bite. A strand of mana was severed in two as the very fabric of reality became an afternoon snack. The lizard looked quite pleased with itself, and settled back down to nap.
What the actual fuck.
She immediately summoned another, desperate to see just how much of an asset she had just acquired. And could barely tell she had done anything at all. The [CREATURE] cost the same amount of energy to summon as a copper coin. Something that could eat pure mana, and it was dirt cheap. The reasons why were readily apparent, although not as bad as they could have been. The lizards were weak and lazy.
Surely these traits would be gone in a [LIEUTENANT]? Leveling cost scaled off summon cost, so even without bonus energy she could likely get one to a good level. She poured energy into corralling mana towards the second lizard, ready to meet the newest member of her little family.
Apollo and Mirage both hovered in the center of the room, just barely off the floor, preparing for a new little sibling. The lizard trembled as it level increased. Finally, Lasair used [PROMOTE]. The Lizard began to shiver once more as its body and mind changed.
[PROMOTING...]
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Its eyes snapped open. Where was it? What was it? Who was it? It searched for answers in this new place. This place was circular, with four presences intruding on its solitude. One was a blue box, with text that it did not bother to read. Another was a strange being with two fluffy arms coming out of its back. These flapped at an incredible speed, holding it off the ground. Behind the strange thing was a... shimming point in the air.
The point felt alive, and like it was watching it. The shimmer was also deemed irrelevant. But finally, its gaze locked on a brilliant ball of light.
SHINY
It lunged, jaws and talons desperately reaching to capture the shiny, to add it to its hoard. To collect.
"Wha- Stop trying to eat your brother!"