Evan followed R'hazul deeper into the desert, observing the shifting sand beneath his feet, leaving no trace of their path behind them. R'hazul moved with a fluid grace that spoke to decades of practice, amplifying the movements of his armor and leggings in the evening sun. Evan, on the other hand, felt clumsy in the sand, but he was getting used to it.

It turns out, that walking at speed or running through the desert is like playing a never-ending game of 'don't step on the cracked path'. Except the cracks are the only thing there is to step on. The sand shifts and moves with every step, imprinting Akashic patterns of your movements. The only way to move, or run well in the sand, is to take one step at a time like a baby learning to walk again. Sure, you could stumble through or trudge along like some small ogre. But to run, truly run, and run fast, you have to master the perpetual balancing act with the sand beneath you, feel and anticipate its shifts, and the change in your balance. When you master each step, you master the sand. Anticipating each step you take to cause ripples and shifts, which moves you in turn. Like thousands of ants shifting a giant. It would actually be quite interesting to study, if it wasn't so annoying.

"Did you know," R’Hazul said, glancing at Evan, "that sand is just tiny rocks that have been ground down by time and pressure?"

Evan felt he was close to mastering the balancing act, but the lapse in attention as he looked up to respond had caused him to stumble The sand may just be tiny rocks, he mused but they're tiny rocks that have it out for my feet, and my dignity. Officially over it.

Connecting with his skills, Evan teleported ahead, sliding across the sand after his new mentor. he felt as though the mana in the air was different here, as pliable as the sand, almost itching to be let loose.

"I see. so it's natures way of saying 'Ha ha, you thought you'd be able to run without your skills'"

R'hazul turned, mid run, now running backwards through the sand, each step launching him further. He angled a molten smirk towards Evan. Evan wondered what would happen if his new companion where to bite an enemy. With the sheer light and heat he could gleam through the smirk, he assumed they probably wouldn't enjoy it.

“Ha. Exactly. So, regarding your [Transformation] skill," R'hazul asked, glancing back at the direction he ran in before turning to look at Evan with piercing golden eyes. "Tell me everything you know about it."

Evan took a deep breath, his mind racing with the possibilities of what he could, and should describe. "It's a transformation," he said finally. "I can change myself into something else. Something specific."

R'hazul nodded thoughtfully. "And what is that something?"

Evan hesitated, still unsure if he was ready to share his secret. OK Evan, think. He's a cool guy, a great guy, in fact. But how do I milk his lessons for everything they're worth? What animal do I want the power of? And I do need real power. What's going to send everyone running? A wolf? A bloodbear?...or… a hydra??? Evan smiled

To hells with it, what have I got to lose? Besides his trust I mean, lets go big, super big.

"A dragon," he said finally, his voice barely above a whisper.

R'hazul raised an eyebrow. "A dragon? That's a rather ambitious transformation, don't you think?"

Evan shrugged, suddenly feeling foolish. It's just something I've always wanted to be: strong, powerful, able to fly. Ever since I got the skill."

"Well, let's see what we can do. But before we get to that, we need to start with the basics: mana control, human anatomy, and the anatomy of draconic beings and monsters."

Evan looked back to his feet, focused on his run, occasionally glancing up towards his new mentor. He didn't want to stumble and miss something crucial.

"Mastering skills" R'hazul began, "is about mastering mana. And in our case, the sand is mana" R'hazul began to slowly increase his pace, as Evan gritted his teeth and followed, remaining concentrated on his footing.

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"And mastering skills," R'hazul said, still facing Evan, "is like running through the sand: it's not about how fast you go or how strong your steps are, but how you keep your balance. Just like the sand, skills can slip through your fingers if you don't hold on tight. It requires balance and control over the constantly shifting grains of mana. The slightest misstep can send you off course. The key is learning when to go with its flow and when to push against it. Anticipate how it responds to your movements, even understanding your own movements in turn. When you learn to control the movements and shifts of mana, how the pressure causes it to change direction and change its flow, how a stream can turn into a tsunami, or a slight breeze into a sandstorm, your skills will become endless in their application." R'hazul pointed, and his finger flared with heat before creating a soft chill, and a bolt of lightning streaked through the air.

"My skill has nothing to do with lightning," he said, lowering his arm.

"But that usually takes time and experience, unless you're a genius," R'hazul smirked again. Evan had a feeling there was a 'like me' the man had left unsaid.

"But you'll get there with practice," R'hazul continued. "And what will really help you master the [Transformation] skill is understanding anatomy."

Evan stared intently at R'hazul as the Seeker of Truth began to expound on the intricacies of Mana, ‘biology’ and anatomy. R'hazul's voice had become deep and raspy, releasing waves of sound that Evan found hard to forget, as if he had been whispering secrets to the sand dunes for decades. He spoke with a precise, measured cadence, and every word was weighed down with decades of knowledge and experience.

***

Evan watched as R'hazul picked up a gnarled bone and held it up to the light. The bone looked ancient and fragile, as if it would crumble at the slightest touch. R'hazul began to speak about the bone's function, as Evan struggled to follow the surge of information and technical language.

"Okay, wait, so this bone is like, uh, the handle of a war scythe, right? And the rotator part is like the pointy bit at the end that you spin and use to stab things?" Evan ventured tentatively. What kind of animal has spinning blades for arms while stealing souls, anyway? What kind of all-powerful god makes something like that? No wonder they died. I would have probably killed them too, if I could.

R'hazul raised an eyebrow but continued, undeterred. "In a manner of speaking, yes. This bone is called the Atlas-humerus, and it serves as the connection between the beast's shoulder and the elbow joint."

Evan nodded, making a mental note. "And what about these blastema cells? That sounds like a [Regeneration] skill." That was a highly coveted skill, for the elite.

R'hazul chuckled. "Blastema cells are actually quite fascinating. They allow this creature to regenerate damaged tissue, almost like a Hydra. Some species can even use them to create clones. I can heal, accelerate healing, and fix my mass, but what if I lost an arm? It would be gone forever. Evan mentally added blastema cells to his growing list of cells and organs to acquire.

Evan nodded slowly, trying to grasp the information. They had moved on to all sorts of anatomies of wild beasts, some powerful, and a few strange creatures he couldn't quite place. How the hells did he get so many dangerous corpses?His mind went back to the earlier displays of power and control, and he further raised the mental threat level of his teacher.

Good thing he was such a great guy.

R'hazul continued to speak about the various bones, muscles, and organs that made up various forms. His voice was hypnotic, waves of unseen mana lulling Evan into a state of deep concentration. Evan could feel his mind expanding, as if it were a balloon being filled with air. He felt invigorated and energised, as if he could take on the world.

R'hazul paused, regarding Evan with a mixture of curiosity and amusement. "So, you believe you can transform into a dragon," he said, his voice now smooth and deep, like the rumble of distant thunder.

Evan nodded, not quite sure what to say.

“Come on then, we’ll see. I’m sure it’ll be quite the spectacle”

As they packed up their equipment and prepared to leave, Evan had a nagging feeling that he was forgetting something. Something important, extremely so, and something obvious. As R’Hazul went on about his discoveries; a new cell, or a new beasts capabilities… the feeling slipped into the recess of his mind. Evan looked over at R'hazul with respect. He had never met anyone so dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, so singularly focused on understanding the world around them.

Little did Evan know that R'hazul's obsession with knowledge was only the tip of the iceberg. The Cursed One had been alive for a long, long time, even by the standards of his species. So long, at times, his memories were starting to fail him. He hoarded knowledge, precious metals, and magical artifacts. Some he used to store important memories, some to store test subjects and research. He coveted knowledge above all else. Although, R’Hazul had one true treasure besides knowledge, and metals; his progeny. He had recently lost track of his children, and cared for their progress and growth. Although they visited him from time to time, over the years, he was unsure if they were still alive. But in truth, he couldn't imagine them dying. To him, they were masterpieces.

Masterpieces that he believed would one day rule the world.