Swoosh
Swoosh
Back and forth, my blood like a flowing river stimulates all nutrients, energy, and sensors within my body, focusing solely on the flow of my blood, everchanging, I can feel it. A warm, soft feeling eveloped all other parts of my body no longer resembling the feeling of being taken apart and being put back together, but more along the lines of being gently molded without breaking anything in the process.
From the outside, I perceive. Pulsating, the presence makes itself known to me, floating towards my forehead between the eyes, growing more gentle as it does so as if scared of hurting me. Seeing.. no, feeling its intention my body shivers in bliss, and I let out a low, primal growl reverberating inside of the cave. Opening my eyes into slits still slightly shivering in the palpable pleasure and relaxation, I observe my surroundings as if it's the first time. New colors I've never seen.. no, colors I've never been able to perceive made their ways into my surroundings, of a texture resembling dust being seen in the air due to the reflection of light, except omnipresent.
Slowly standing up, I resist the urge of activating the system, so as to enjoy this rare moment of complete relaxation, crawling towards the opening and gazing into the waterfall upon my reflection.
Lying 3 meters long, I have black and blue eyes, resembling the night sky, with myriads of different stars each shaded a little differently. Looking onto my fur, the color change was a bit drastic along with the pattern markings. Gone on my face, the white markings surrounding the eyes no longer exist. Replaced is an abyssal black, and a dark blue tint starting at the crown of my head moving down. On my ribcage, instead of fading into a common white or grey, the fur remained black except for what looked like tattoos upon the fur in a maze like patterns and tribal markings, making it look grandeur yet out of place.
Feeling a pinching pain on my face, I look back into the makeshift mirror that the waterfall is. Looking at the abyssal black that my face was a few seconds ago, it's gained the same blue tint as my body, still in change during my look. Fascinated by the change, as if hypnotized, I stare.
[System advises Host to view changes.]
Tch.. damnit.
'System, show Full Status.'
[WARNING: System Changes - Affinity is now Alignment. Proficiencies are now Masteries. Abilities are now Skills / Techniques. Auxiliary Skill was removed.]
'Shit..'
=====================================================
[System Status
Name: Hollow
Species: Astral Wolf
Tier: 1.0
Affinity: Astral -??-
Points: 0
Masteries:
- Movement I
- Stealth I
- Skills -
System Evaluation: With the power of friendship and magic... you can impress a few children.]
=====================================================
These System Evals are really stepping up their game. I suppose it scales with how strong my Tier is? I honestly just don't know.
After asking the System a few questions, I've grasped the essentials of what's happening but.. I can't really say I didn't expect something this preposterous.
First, those question marks next to my Alignment didn't change. Yes, Alignment. Much better on the tongue then affinity, yes? I think so, you don't have to. Anyways, it turns out those question marks are the affinity to be chosen promised by the System! Except, those Affinities are limited to those of the Astral Alignment. I know, I know, affinity, alignment, stupidly confusing. Basically the same, except one is a bit more broad of a term.
The only problem is, I can't wait. The System wont let me.
[Host is required to choose an element or power with a high affinity towards the Astral Alignment.]
[Host, make your choice:
Astral Fire: Absorb highly concentrated fire from the Stars, including the Sun or any other large planetary figure that emits light and head to an extreme. This differs from the simple element of Fire as it has the unique ability to condense itself and burn other elements. (Density determined by Color)
Astral Water: Absorb highly concentrated particles of water from a Star with a matching Element. Not all stars are concentrated with fire. Far out in the universe, Cold Stars are a common occurrence, though normally used by a God or Deity in their own Domains as a place for home and thus remain hidden. Different from the simple element of Water as it has the unique ability to condense itself and emit crushing pressures.
Astra....]
And.. Finally! I've found it. Something that's grabbed my interest. Yes, those others are all powerful. Hell, maybe even more useful, but this is something that I've thought about and hoped for from the bottom of my heart, as aesthetics DO matter. Maybe not to you, but looking badass is always a self confidence boost. Not to mention that I have proof of this certain.. element working out, due to [Ares].
[System Excerpt; Astral Alignments]
[Astral Blood: Use and enhance your blood through battle, or more specifically absorption. With the ability of the normal Blood Element, you can purify your blood with the blood of other species, though if overdone it will pertain side effects. Uniquely, the Astral Alignment allows you to condense blood outside of your body for the use of skills.]
Oh, baby does that sound good. Reminded of the palpable sound of blood earlier, and the warm and cozy feeling that still lingers within my body, I feel a small connection to this power, not to mention the fact that Ares with the normal Blood Element was insanely strong, me being able to use blood outside of my body sounds pretty damn satisfying. And... you know, cool.
You know, the System isn't really an assisting party, it has more of an informant vibe to it. Everything you do comes back in information, which the System processes and manipulates. Which, I admit, is amazing. Just.. a bit too surreal.
So, the System must have an answer. So many candies yet I can only choose one.
'System, what would you suggest is the best for me?'
[System Suggestions]
[1. Astral Shadow: Using the energy from any astral body, manipulate light and dark to amplify the effects of shadows, or create shadows by draining the light in a select area. Unique in it's own way, Astral Shadow manipulates light and dark, separating any manipulated shadows from the light, giving resistance to reflections and can temporarily blind an unsuspecting victim.
2. Astral Healing: Manipulate Astral Energy to create healing components that grow stronger with the more energy used or efficiency of energy use. This ability upon mastery will unlock more intricacies.
3. Astral Soul: Using Astral Energy, learn to manipulate your soul and focus on mental attacks and possession, also capable of causing hallucinations and illusions to create opportunities.
4. Astral Gravitation: Store Astral Energy within your body, releasing it at a high velocity, causing the Astral Energy in the atmosphere to compress reacting to the initial refined energy released. Doing so will affect not only your enemies but yourself until further mastery.
5. Astral Blood: Use and enhance your blood through battle, or more specifically absorption. With the ability of the normal Blood Element, you can purify your blood with the blood of other species, though if overdone it will pertain side effects. Uniquely, the Astral Alignment allows you to condense blood outside of your body for the use of skills.]
'System, will I be able to choose something similar in the future?'
[Host will not have a choice, but System can reveal that if you choose an Alignment of a high tier further evolution is possible.]
'And.. which ones would that be?'
[1. Astral Soul: Using Astral Energy, learn to manipulate your soul and focus on mental attacks and possession, also capable of causing hallucinations and illusions to create opportunities.
2. Astral Gravitation: Store Astral Energy within your body, releasing it at a high velocity, causing the Astral Energy in the atmosphere to compress reacting to the initial refined energy released. Doing so will affect not only your enemies but yourself until further mastery.
3. Astral Blood: Use and enhance your blood through battle, or more specifically absorption. With the ability of the normal Blood Element, you can purify your blood with the blood of other species, though if overdone it will pertain side effects. Uniquely, the Astral Alignment allows you to condense blood outside of your body for the use of skills.]
Well, seeing as my initial choice is on there, and crushing myself under gravity will have a high uncertainty, I lean towards blood. On top of that Astral Soul is great, but if someone's soul is stronger than mine.. what do I do? Turns out, if that happens, you don't do. They do. I guess.
'System, select Astral Blood for me.'
[Host has chosen Astral Blood...]
[Race Name changed to Astral Blood Wolf]
Feeling no change, I open my Status.
=====================================================
[System Status
Name: Hollow
Species: Astral Blood Wolf
Tier: 1.0
Affinity: Astral -??-
Points: 0
Masteries:
- Movement I
- Stealth I
- Skills -
System Evaluation: With the power of friendship and magic... you can impress a few children.]
=====================================================
Seeing no change, I shreek in my head upon hearing a System announcement, despite my logic telling me that that should happen right about now.
[Host is required to select -Skills- for any further progress.]
Enough choosing for one day.. son of a..
'System, open Skills'
[System randomizing 3 different skills according to your Alignment.]
[Loading...]
[Loading..]
[Loa..]
After that popping up about 6 to 7 times, I'm just about to tell the System to only notify me when the results.. well, happen. And they do!
[Skill Results]
[Blood Dragon: Condense Blood Energy infused with Astral Energy and the Essence Blood of 10 different Species to make a physical entity without consciousness or sentiance that can be nurtured inside of your body or absorb further blood essence. Will have a seperate Tier or Level according to the absorbed materials capped at Host's power.]
[Astral Movement: Creating a small domain around yourself, drain withheld Astral Energy to move more fluently and cross larger spaces with smaller motions.]
[Blood Crystallization: Using your connection to Blood, condense blood into Crystals to defend or attack upon the manipulation of the Host. Blood Crystals can later be reabsorbed if they are condensed of any Essence Blood.]
Well, shit.
'System, full Status.'
=====================================================
[System Status
Name: Hollow
Species: Astral Blood Wolf
Tier: 1.0
Affinity: Astral -??-
Points: 0
Masteries:
- Movement I
- Stealth I
- Skills -
-Blood Dragon-
-Astral Movement 0/100-
-Blood Crystallization 0/100-
System Evaluation: With the power of friendship and magic... you can impress a few children.]
=====================================================
'System, why do two skills have 0/100 next to them, but Blood Dragon does not?'
[Host has 2 skills which can be leveled up upon repeated use with heartfelt intent, guided by being you are the Apostle of. Blood Dragon, on the other hand, has a power level of its own.]
Hmm. I really hope this works how I think it does..
'System, how do I use any of these abilities..?'
[Host can sense and absorb Astral Energy by closing your eyes and steadying your breathing. Natural Instinct should guide you from there.]
Mmmk. Let's hope that Instinct is still there.
Closing my eyes and trying to calm down, I grasp onto the warm feeling surrounding me, feeling as if I've just gotten the massage of a lifetime. Slowly but surely, the light reflected on the other side of my eyelids is gone. Just black.
Feeling something, I sit there trying to focus on it. Just like the feeling of moving your eyes behind your eyelids, I switch my area of vision towards that.. thing. Glowing, floating lights, some tame and some wild, propel themselves in different directions ignoring his shocked figure.
Feeling something tug in his heart, he walks. Not with his physical body. Within this state, he can't move through things like a ghost, but he doesn't feel his body moving. None of his nerves are reacting to his commands yet he sees his line of vision change, as if he's spectating and his body just lying there.
Walking towards the most gentle of those lights, it reacts and flutters away like trying to catch a tiny, light feather, yet the wind generated by your movements propels it away. Trying my utmost to be gentle, I guide it into a corner with subtle movements as it seems to avoid me.
Walking towards it once it has no direction to go, the already dim light dims even further, and upon being caged into the small location, floats fiercely towards his chest right upon his heart. Contrary to the previous behavior, it reacted incredibly sporadically shocking me, feeling my heart skip a beat.
Instead of an expect pain, a gentle steady heat spread to every corner of my body, feeling as if someone was running a warm marble across my body through the veins, circulating and repeating. A single process took about 5 minutes with the steady movement, and it happens about 6 times before a System notification happened during my indulgence.
[System importing Energy Absorption Technique...]
Woosh. As if someone just stuffed my stomach full, except in my brain, I feel that feeling of bodily expansion. Unhealthy bodily expansion. I honestly don't know. As if you can expect me to explain this feeling.
Looking into the memories, just like reminiscing about childhood, it comes back to me after a few tries. Using the previous speck of energy floating around my veins, I focus on it and it speeds up a little bit, and upon doing so it enacts a sort of enchantment upon the other orbs of energy, letting them float at me very, very slowly so as to ensure me not having to move.
Deactivating the technique, I look inside of me (which, by the way, is incredibly trippy) and instead of 2 specs of energy, exists the same 'orb' of energy, except elongated to take up more space in the Veins.
'System, why is the energy stored in my veins?'
The system, like just before replies, except in my current state sounds exactly like someone speaking through a Pringles can, which honestly contradicts the soothing voice projected.
[Where else would the Host store the spare energy?]
Looking at the message sitting in front of me.. or in my head? Soul? I really don't know where I am. I see my surroundings it's just.. incorporeal. Anywho, I suppose that's right.
'System, how much energy would I need to try an Astral Movement?'
[Host Objective Set]
[Absorb the needed amount of Astral Energy to activate a single ability.]
[Minimal Amount Required: 100]
[0/100]
[System advises Host to not absorb too much energy. Your body is like a barrel of water with no openings. Injecting too much water could cause severe damage... and unlike a barrel, you won't just break. Your soul will combust.]
These things never stop coming but.. I kinda like it.