Charlotte, her heart pounding with urgency, wasted no time.
She spotted a sloped section of the ground and used it to her advantage, sliding down to the bottom of the pit with agile ease.
Dodging the smoking carcass of the troll, she made her way to Thanatos' side, her eyes wide with concern and awe.
"Thanatos, are you alright?" she asked breathlessly, dropping to her knees beside him.
Charlotte's expression turned grim as she surveyed the damage.
"Oh my God, Thanatos, you're badly burnt!" she exclaimed, her hand instinctively reaching out to touch him before pausing mid-air, as if remembering he was undead.
"And your bones, most of them are cracked," she added, her voice filled with genuine distress.
"I…I thought I had lost you there," she whispered, her eyes searching his face for any sign of life.
Thanatos chuckled mirthlessly, his voice strained.
"The bad news is that I can barely move, I don't feel any pain at all. That's the beauty of being an undead, I suppose. We're difficult to kill," he replied, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his lips despite his battered appearance.
He shifted slightly, grimacing as he attempted to sit up.
Charlotte, her concern for Thanatos clear, listened as he described the state of his body.
As he finished, she shook her head, her eyes still fixed on his injuries.
"If that's the bad news, then what on earth is the good news?" she asked, her voice catching slightly on the last word.
Thanatos shifted once more, wincing as his bones scraped against each other. "The good news is…I can finally evolve."
****
'Evolution for monsters in this world I created isn't that complex.' His inner monologue about how evolution for monsters took place in this world began.
'When a monster defeats another monster, it can either devour the other monster, consuming its essence directly into itself, or it can absorb the defeated monster's life essence manually.'
'This simple process is the foundation of evolution for monsters in this world.'
'Evolution in this world isn't as simple as slaying vast quantities of weaker creatures. A monster won't evolve by massacring a horde of their own kind, or by defeating hundreds of weaker opponents.'
'This world's evolution relies on the challenge and the unique qualities of the defeated foe, demanding a monster to triumph over adversaries that pose a significant threat, thus unlocking new potential.'
'This form of evolution,' he intoned, a hint of pride edging into his voice, 'is the one that I created for this world.'
'Evolution is not for the weak, nor is it for those content with mediocrity. It is a privilege reserved for those who push themselves to the brink of their limits and beyond, those who face adversity and emerge stronger for it.'
Thanatos, his gaze distant and contemplative, mulled over the conversation. 'This,' he thought to himself, the pieces clicking together in his mind, 'is why most monsters never evolve. They lack the mental ability to actively seek out and pursue the challenges necessary for evolution.'
His revelation, though somewhat depressing, shed light on the rarity of evolved monsters and the true worth of his own ascension.
In the wake of Thanatos' musings, the silence was broken by a surreal and unexpected sight.
Small orbs of light, as if drawn by an unseen force, began to emerge from the bodies of the slain monsters.
Slowly but steadily, the glowing spheres rose into the air, floating serenely above the carnage-strewn ground.
The light, at once eerie and mesmerizing, filled the cavernous chamber with a faint, unearthly glow, casting shadows across the walls and illuminating the hulking form of the fallen troll.
Thanatos, unperturbed by the floating lights, spoke to Charlotte in a cool, easy tone.
"Hey, Charlotte." He paused, gathering his thoughts.
"You might want to back up a bit and close your eyes. It might be a good idea to play it safe, just in case."
His suggestion carried the weight of a seasoned veteran, relaxed yet vigilant, guiding a trusted companion.
The luminous orbs, seemingly synchronized in their celestial dance, converged into a single, brilliant sphere of light.
It hovered above Thanatos, its radiance suffusing the dungeon with a blinding, iridescent glow.
In an instant, the sphere descended upon him, absorbing into his body with a brilliance that could rival the noonday sun.
A wave of tranquility washed over Thanatos, enveloping him in a sense of peace he had never known.
"This feels…incredible," Thanatos whispered, the awe in his voice palpable. "More peaceful than I could have imagined. It's as though I'm being reborn, transformed by this light."
The intense glow faded, and with it, the blinding radiance that had filled the chamber moments before.
Thanatos, his eyes closed, inhaled deeply, relishing in the newfound sensations coursing through his body.
"Charlotte," he called out, his voice still tinged with a deep sense of calm, "stay on guard and cast a cloaking spell. It would be wise to remain unseen for now."
"Evolution can be pretty unpredictable," he continued with a shrug, his casual tone belying the magnitude of the transformation. "It might take a while, so you might want to stay alert while I'm out."
Thanatos, his voice taking on a more pragmatic edge, estimated the length of time he might be unconscious.
"Can't be too sure, but I'm guessing it'll take maybe an hour or two," he said, his gaze turning to the surrounding area. "Look for a cave we can hide in while I'm out."
His request was practical, a testament to his ability to think strategically even in the face of a transformative experience.
Charlotte, her movements swift and purposeful, scanned the area for a suitable hiding place.
Finding a dark corner of the pit that offered a modicum of seclusion, she moved to Thanatos' side, gently lifting him into her arms.
With her attention focused and her arms trembling slightly with the effort, she carried him to the chosen spot, easing him down onto the cold, hard ground.
Satisfied with the security of their location, she took a step back, still watchful and vigilant in the shadowed recess.
Thanatos, his body finally succumbing to the overwhelming forces of evolution, allowed himself to slip into a slumber unlike any he had experienced before.
The process was unlike anything he had ever encountered as an undead, a sort of dreamless stasis where time seemed to lose all meaning.
In the darkness of his mind, he felt himself drifting, a sense of peace enveloping his being as the transformation worked its magic on his body.
For the first time since appearing in this world, he felt truly at rest, even if only for a brief while.