The Staff glowed with a strange aura. It seemed to glow green but had a gusting feeling rushing about it. The stone in the top though was my real target. Since I had grown so large in my dragon form I just placed the staff in my mouth and started crunching away. I heard gluttony chime as I chewed.
/ You have just consumed three different materials that have high compatibility. The first is a High Grade Upper Calamity Class Thunder Dragon Core. Your abilities and affinity for thunder have increased. Due to consumption of a higher grade being with more power than you the power is running rampant. hopefully host can stand the pain till evolution... hehehe./
Pain suddenly wracked my body as electricity seemed to burn my nerves and skin. (YOU BASTARD!) I shouted in my head as the searing sensation was offset by the energy from the ground healing my wounds as fast as they were being dealt. Sam's face showed concern as she saw me hiss and shake from the pain. She tried to get closer but a crackling arc of lightning missed her by inches forced her to stay back. Gluttony continued reading off the things I'd eaten in the process.
/ You consumed Gust light wood. Host can now access light and air elements at the basic level. Your affinity with these has also increased by 10%. Now has access to the 6 elements that make this world run. Due to host body breaking down and rebuilding would you like to evolve into something that can withstand the abilities and powers that you now hold?/ Without hesitation I screamed out in my mind. (YES!) The system immediately got to work. /Host needs more mass and parts to handle the power. Forcing the use of tentacles into hosts body. Hosts stockpile of material is now being used./
I felt the power racing through me as suddenly my back bubbled and burst with 20 greyish red tentacles that flailed to and fro. I roared from the pain making the ground shake and scaring the guards on the wall.
/ ??? Not enough material in said limbs for control of power. Creating and concentrating to make arms and wings for denser muscle and bone structures. Creating greater storage possibility now./ The tentacles began to merge and form arms and wings. Thick white bone forming in the middle of the thrashing masses.
My front 4 legs shifted and merged into a thicker set of arms as my body began to expand and lengthen. My shield wings merged with some of the tentacles to form large lower arms below my current set. MY flight wings shifted down my spine as the arms on my back moved forward. One set sat above my shoulders. The other sat below my newly formed arms. Another set of draconic wings grew from my back around my ribs just above my current set. These were a mix of black and white and exuded a type of glory that rivaled the sun and moon in the sky. The power of darkness and light in perfect harmony. Patterns seemed to grow on them. Patterns representing the elements of fire, water, earth, and wind all present with the exception that each one was cut in half and colored like yin and yang. My lower wings began to shift their colors in sinc with my body.The feathers shifted colors as they added sky blue, black, and white to their shifting rainbow.
The pain finally began to subside with the newly added limbs. I was grateful. Unfortunately a new pain started. My bones groaned as the muscles and bones began to compact. (G what are you doing?) I groaned in my mind. / I thought that it would be more conspicuous if you were a little smaller. That way you could walk around easier. Or would you rather be 60 feet tall and incapable of fitting anywhere except open areas?/ It replied in a salty fashion. I groaned more as my frame shrank and my body compacted.
( I can take the pain.) /Good/ came the reply. Soon my body stood at 10 feet tall and 3 feet across at the shoulders. My body was heavy like in my big form but I had little to no human characteristics to speak of. My body was suddenly shrouded in a cloak as Sam and legion rushed forward. I shook in relief as the pain subsided and I fell to my knees. My eyes seemed so heavy it was hard to keep them open. Sam got under one side of me while legion stood on my other side. They managed to get me over to where I could rest a little in the shade. The ground was supplying me with healing and some refreshing energy to keep me awake. I breathed slowly and tasted the air.
It tasted of forest. The dewy, mossy, refreshing smell that people who live in the city long for. Then I smelt the city of Verst. It smelled of sweat, metal, and a sickening mix of food. My nostrils closed at the smell and I almost vomited. I breathed through my mouth this time. The air tasted strangely like electrified iron. The taste was ok seeing as my taste buds had died eons ago.
It was then that I heard Gluttony speak. / You've become something thats never been seen before. I have no data to go off of and no understanding of naming. What would host like to name this upper class Calamity evolution?/ I thought about it for a bit as Sam grabbed me a water bag for me to drink. Steam still streamed off of me from the heat and I looked at my arms to get a better look at myself.
The feeling was weird but bearable. It hit me then. The myths of the eastern continents talked about a god or demon that went by the name of Asura. It had 6 arms but the thing was also a berserker and brought destruction in its wake. ( Seeing as I'm a monster and I could also destroy this place with a breath if I wanted. Kinda fits really. Call my species Asura Dragons from here on out. ) / Of course. "HAD" to go with a six armed deity eh?/ I grunted. (Not like I want it this way. It's just the first thing I thought of.)
/ Regardless you got a few peoples attention with this stunt. The Gods are watching Now. All of them. But only one seems to have a bone to pick with you./ "hmm!?!" I sprayed out water and coughed as Sam and Legion gave me a questioning look. " Choked" I croaked out. They nodded and left me alone to talk to each other. ( which one!?) I asked.
Gluttony took a moment before answering in a mocking tone. / Old Kuku doesn't seem to like you./ It cackled out. (Kuku?) I thought. Confused at the name and it not ringing a bell. / There are all sorts of Gods in the universe. You have a high storm affinity. Kuku or as humans on your earth called him Kukulkan is probably thinking your trying to steal his seat. It took him millenia to get it from Baal. Literal $#!+ storm when that battle happened./ My eyes widened slightly at that news as a chill went down my spine.
" Haaaah." I sighed out in exhaustion. I stood up and wobbled a little. My center of balance had changed. I had more limbs hence the balance shifted too. I slowly moved and grabbed a stick that I could use like a cane till I adjusted to the changes. My body was heavy but that was okay. My strength was always going to improve so long as my passives held up. Sam and legion noticed I stood up and got up to help me back to the city. The guards raised their eyebrows so I showed them my card to verify my identity and they let us pass without much resistance or questions.
We made it back to the inn where legion helped me up the stairs to the room where I laid on the bed and just relaxed. I meditated on what I had felt today. The strength, pain, anxiety, and overall fear that I felt in those moments. I wondered why and how I had gotten into this life. Normally that type of pain would have killed me on earth. But here I was starting to see it as a normal occurrence. Not to mention I had made Gods either nervous or excited. I couldn't make up my mind how I felt. I wasn't necessarily excited. But I wasn't really scared either. It was like I felt like I was waiting. I heard a whistle of wind and the window to the room blew open like it was given a gentle push. I turned my head to see a dwarf with red hair sitting there with a rather pleased look on his face. " Well... I haven't seen you in a while Aed." I said as I relaxed back into bed.
He chuckled a bit to himself before he responded. " I suppose that nothing really phases you anymore after all you've been through. I came by to say you put on a fantastic show earlier." Now it was my turn to chuckle. "I don't know if you sincerely mean that considering I've apparently made one very old god nervous." He roared out laughter at that statement. "We are actually putting bets on which of you two would come out on top. I will definitely say mines on you. Though old Kuku can't touch you due to my blessing now. That will wear off when you ascend to godhood. But I do think you should try to lay low for a bit. He still has a champion here. It just hasn't been seen for a long time. Storm Giant that goes by the rather strange name of Od." He said waving his hands in the air.
"Odd?" I asked. He shook his head. "Not O.D.D. It's O.D." he said as he enunciated the letters for my understanding. "Ah..." I said I heard it. "Bit odd though don't you think?" We both roared with laughter at that. Aed wiped a tear from his eye as he sat there on the sill. " But in all seriousness you need to lay low and just gather power in a fashion that doesn't draw attention. Though the Giant sounds stupid it is as sharp as a tack. Not to mention it's Calamity class just like you." His gaze was level with mine in a manner that felt like a tutor to a student.
"I wont promise anything but ill give it a shot." he nodded in understanding. "I wouldn't ask for anything else." He said then he faded into the night. As I laid on the bed I moved all my arms attempting to move them in sinc. It didn't go too well but I started getting used to the nerves and muscles and how they felt. I got out of bed and started doing Taichi. Slowly shifting each part of my body as slow as I could manage. I fell over at one point due to balance. But I got back up and started over. My wings stayed folded behind me. My center of balance was much higher now due to everything. I felt myself becoming accustomed to my muscles and joints as they began to burn from the exercise. I kept doing that till I finally felt tired enough to rest.
I slept like the dead. No dreams. No nightmares. I just floated in the darkness for what seemed like forever till the sun woke me in the morning. I blearily looked about and found I was still in the room. My mind was groggy from the horrible sleep and I was partially glad to be awake from that place. I left the room and leaned slightly on the banister as I started going downstairs. Everything seemed quiet as I descended. The only noise I was hearing was a strange gravelly voice that reminded me of someone. As I reached the bottom I turned and saw a quiet crowd surrounding what looked to be an adult sized dwarf made of gold. He quickly noticed me and called out to me. " Ahh! It looks like my disciple finally woke after a good 2 days of sleep. How'd you feel?" I smiled slightly at Hargo's new miniaturized form and laughed. "Better now that you're around my friend!" The crowd cheered as we all sat down and got to listen to an old dwarf tell his tales.