The Core began to glimmer as the golden light began to bubble forth. Almost physical it surrounded the Core before shifting, creating new gem-like facets on top of what was already there. The instincts that it had relied on were compressed deeper into its Spark Matrix as its Spark began to expand from a Proto-Spark into full Ignition.
As it ignited the golden light flared with brilliance, searing its new reality upon the Core’s inner being. Everything that it had accomplished before Igniting only added fuel to the new fire burning in its soul, blazing new pathways in its Matrix. It had been born again, transforming from a being of instinct to a being capable of thought. The two suns rose and set seven times before the process was complete and the world was not still during its slumber.
POV Constricting Green Snake (Day 1 of Evolution)
Coiled upon himself the snake flicked his tongue out tasting the world through the pits on the front of his face. The recent rain had thundered its way across the wooden paneling above him, wiping clean any scent trails and saturating the area underneath it with water. The snake was undeterred.
His master had given him a directive, to protect the Dungeon, and though the snake’s brain was admittedly quite small his Spark Matrix was more robust, with one complete evolution supplementing his small brain by enhancing it with Aether. This would have made him voracious in any other place but the master supplied the Aether now which made it all the more worthy of devotion in the eyes of the simple snake.
Keeping still, he felt the ground through his body, trying to sense the vibrations of any intruders before they entered the dungeon's domain. For the most part, his vigil was a quiet one, not many creatures daring to venture further than the very edge of the borders of the floor on which the snake presided. Eventually, though, something did breach the borders. As it did so it seemed to move unerringly towards the hole that led further into the dungeon.
The snake shuffled his coils, preparing to strike and as the intruder passed by, struck like a bolt of lightning. In a flash, the carpenter ant was swallowed whole, the snake letting a pleased hiss as a small burst of Aether was released upon the creature’s death. He did not wonder why another ant was here nor did he know that it was the second such ant to have come by, he was simply pleased at having fulfilled his directive. The snake coiled in upon himself once more, remaining vigilant as his creator slept.
POV Danian Queen (Day 3 of Evolution)
It was dark, like being submerged in a deep lake. Yet through the depths, golden light shone through from up above. The queen, uncurling from the fetal position she was in, began to swim upward reaching for the light. It took time but eventually she breached the surface and her body was bathed in searing light for mere moments before she woke.
She did not gasp as a creature with lungs would but the spiracles in her abdomen flared, absorbing oxygen from the air. Not only oxygen, she realized with a start, but Aether as well. She stood, reveling in her new strength as she stood tall on her four back legs. She was larger now and somehow knew that she was smarter, her Spark empowering her mind beyond its base form.
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She turned at the sound of shuffling and made her way over to find that her eggs had hatched into larvae with three of them being even larger than the others. She cooed through her pheromones to them as she tended to her brood. She was grateful to the master for such a boon.
Her hive would grow and serve, becoming greater and greater as she laid more eggs and their numbers grew. Her mandibles clicked in anger as she thought about invaders entering her master’s domain but calmed herself and continued to care for the larvae. They would need to grow big and strong if they were to help defend the master.
POV Mouse Guard (Day 6 of Evolution)
The mouse stirred in his slumber, dreams of battle flickering like a sputtering candle through his nascent mind, a mind constantly being strengthened through evolution. An image gradually coalesced from the flames of war. A mouse standing tall on its back legs with metal in its paw and covering its body. It stood defiant, facing enemies many times its size, eyes blazing with Spark-light.
It was this blaze that kindled in the mouse as he slept, an ember of the furnace his Spark would one day become.
Over many days he slumbered while his awake and lesser brethren watched in instinctual awe as he changed. He grew larger and more muscled, his back paws lengthening for stability and his front arms beginning to ripple with strength under his fur. His closed eyes grew sharper and his brain grew larger, supplemented by an enlarged evolved Spark Matrix.
When he finally stirred on the fifth day, he awoke transformed into something never before seen in a creature so small. The first thing he did upon waking was seek out his treasure and from it, he pulled out the enchanted sewing needle. It was a far cry from his vision when evolving but his soul cried out to be armed and this would do. Placing the point before him and kneeling, the Mouse Guard vowed to protect the master that had brought him this far.
He would not fail.
End of Chapter System Notifications:
Evolution Complete!
“Carpenter Ant” has evolved into the Schema “Danian Ant”. Existing creatures have evolved into their respective roles. Carpenter Ant Queen has evolved into Danian Queen. Carpenter Ant Worker has evolved into Danian Worker and Danian Noble. Carpenter Ant Male has evolved into Danian Noble.
New Schema Acquired!
Danian Ant (Unique - Uncommon)
Evolved from the mundane carpenter ant, Danians are the unique creation of the tiniest dungeon core in existence. These creatures eschew their mundane heritage standing upright on four legs and using their upper two to grapple and manipulate the wooden surroundings they call home. They are now firmly dungeon creatures embodying the aspects of loyalty to hive and core that have been imparted to them.
Evolution Complete!
“House Mouse” has evolved into the Schema “Mouse Guard”.
New Schema Acquired!
Mouse Guard (Unique - Uncommon)
A house mouse on its first steps towards greatness and the first of its kind to dare to do so. This mouse has embraced its calling as guardian and warrior drawing the attention of the Spirit of Conflict, Ile’Fen. Since Path of Direction is active, Ile’Fen has crafted this evolutionary path in its entirety paving a way forward if the creature wishes to take it.