"Oh so I'm nothing out of the ordinary." a defeated Azra whispered.
{Indeed, you are nothing special.} The system answered with a tinge of ridicule. {the answer your last question}, the system resumed {the reason you are here... is to gather the world fragments}
"Eh, that's it? What even are world fragments?" Azra asked baffled.
{The combined will of all the living entities of any single world forms a planar consciousness...a god or guardian of sorts...that governs the principles of the world and shields it from any invaders. A world fragment, simply put, is the very essence that sustains the planar consciousness.}
So he was supposed to take the thing that kept some boss-level entity alive from it? He could imagine it
Azra: I've come for your fragment.
Planar Consciousness: *Disdainful gaze* *proceeds to swat him to death.*
"Ho..How am I even supposed to get that?"
{Well there are two ways- The first is to gain its approval either by attaining some great achievement or leaving a lasting impression, prompting it to give the fragment willingly, it will regenerate after all. Secondly, you grow strong enough to take it with force.}
Azra would have liked a few more answers but the system stayed silent seemingly refusing to answer. That being, the case he shifted his attention to becoming accustomed to his new body, he wasn't human anymore, he was a snake, well something like that anyway. He paused a moment allowing the reality of the matter to sink in.
He ran into his first predicament when he tried to move. At first, he tried dragging his body along with his claws but his arms got tired soon after. Then he performed a weird undulating movement reminiscent of the way a caterpillar moves. So comical was his attempt that the system momentarily broke its silence with a giggle.
Finally, he borrowed from the snakes on earth starting from his neck, he contracted his muscles, thrusting its body from side to side, creating a series of curves. After doing this he pushed on the ground making use of any resistance point he could find to thrust himself forward using the friction from said points. It took a while but he finally got used to walking...Er...slithering around in his new body.
After getting accustomed to his new body Azra decided that it would be best to find somewhere safe to stay...something about the forest, peaceful though it may seem, made him feel uncomfortable...
♤♡♤♡♤♡♤
Moments after Azra slithered off into the depths of the forest in search of a place to stay an enormous will descended in the area he had just left.
Every single living creature in the area froze in utmost terror after feeling the sheer immensity of the consciousness that had descended.
The will converged at a single point drawing 'something' from the air eventually forming a semi-transparent body that faintly resembled a human silouette. The newly formed 'being' glanced around as if searching for something.
{Hmm...I could have sworn I sensed ethreal lightning.} 'It' said. It's voice causing the air to tremble.
With that it slightly raised i'ts arms an muttered a series of strange syllables each growing louder and louder until a grand climax.
Then...silence...
A moment later shining blue particles gathered forming three dimensional images. In the image was a young and injured slithern in it's last struggles. Soon after, as expected it died...
*Phoo*
The 'being' sighed...it was filled with helplessness. Shaking off whatever emotion it had just experienced it nodded, this was normal juvenile creatures hardly survived in this forest.
However what happened next shook it to the core. A golden bolt of lightning struck the now dead beast and in an instant all the wounds on its body dissappeared as though they were never there to begin with. And even more shocking was the fact that the little snake-like beast jolted awake moments later like its previous state was a lie.
The *beings* eyes were filled with confusion,shock and...horror...even it could not reproduce the events it had just witnessed.
Forcing down these emotions 'it' continued to watch the unfolding scene. Much like its own the little snakes eyes were filled with confusion as though it too questioned the reason behind its continued existence. This only lasted a moment though before it seemed to calm down, hissing silently to itself, after which it glanced around and made its way deeper into the forest.
{Elcilas.} the 'being' called out.
"I am here." A voice answered, seemingly from nowhere in particular.
{Keep an eye on that little one.} 'It' said before glancing once more in the direction where Azra had went. And with that 'it' was gone, phasing into particles of light that spread out every where.
"Yes my leige." The voice answered.
The forest returned to normal, however it wasn't until minutes later that even the most ferocious of the forest's creatures dared to move (those that hadnt died from shock anyway.)