Elyndris floated in a vast, dark void. It was like the status void, but she couldn't sense anything beyond it. It had been a while since she had experienced such blindness, and even then, it lasted only a minute. Her form had been liquefied and converted into pure monster. Only her consciousness remained.

Before her hovered a holographic image of a larva. The form she was working on. Its statistics hovered above it.

True Name: Elyndris

Soul: Monster

Genseed: Larva [ 1 Str, 1 Dex, 1 Con, 1 Int, 1 Wil, 1 Cha; minuscule Size] — Full Growth Bonus: +1 to all attributes, +6 growth points, +1 biotrait

Base size: Minuscule [Largest Size: Larva]

Monster Level: 14

Attributes (12/12)(Base growth, +5; Larva, +6; Devotion, +1): Strength: 8 (Genesis, +2; growth +5; Devotion, +1) Dexterity: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth +5) Constitution: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth +5) Intelligence: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth +5) Will: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth, +5) Charm: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth, +5)

Feats: True Angel - Encounter a true angel. Reward: Skill choice unlocks. System Knowledge - Discover the system. Reward: System Aptitude skill. Vile Concoction - Willingly drink a diseased brew. Reward: Disease Resistance. Devotion [layered feats] - Offer a prayer to Sahrzuel, Ithrenial, Mythraziel, Vaelion, and Zenthaviel. Reward: Experience gain, +2 skill points, +1 random ability, +1 growth point, +1 biotrait. Blasphemy - Blaspheme the angels. Reward: A curse upon you. Mighty Intellect - Raise Intelligence base to 15. Reward: +1 Skill point. Fledgling Mage - Successfully cast a spell. Reward: Spellcraft skill.

Skills (0/3) (Mortal Levels, +0; Devotion, +2; Mighty Intellect, +1): Burst of Strength: 1 (Ability Skill: Strength 5) Pounce: 1 Construct Capacity: 1 Spellcraft: 1 [Source: Fledgling Mage] Biotraits (9/14)(Monster Level +12; Devotion +1; Larva +1): Disease Resistance [Source: Vile Concoction] BP SPENT = 0 Metamorphosis [Mutations: Swift Change, Extra Form, Rebirth; Apex Reached] BP SPENT = 5

Other: Curse: Ungenesis

She was the first being to use this interface. To experiment with these rules. It was not finished, not quite polished. She had freedoms she probably shouldn't have. She noted that the feats, as well as the benefits of the feats, remained. Mighty Intellect required fifteen intelligence, yet she retained the benefits with seven intelligence. Was this a mistake? A bug in the great system controlled by the vile angels?

If so, it was one she would exploit. The angels had no love for her, so why should she respect their system?

What infuriated her was that she didn't KNOW why the angels hated her so much. Sure, she badmouthed them. But so has everybody in the history of the world. Why did they hamper her so? It had something to do with who she was before.

That was the rub. Who she was BEFORE. Not who she was now. Elyndris only had a vague idea of the powerful, ancient being she used to be. Some great dragon who leveled cities. She retained her knowledge, but not her memory. So, she knew the angels couldn't be trusted. Knew that they were manipulative slavers with the false pretense of being saviors.

Only, she didn't know why she knew that. The specifics of learning that knowledge were lost to her. If they didn't curse her within minutes of her hatching, then perhaps she would have doubted her knowledge.

But now, even that knowledge was fading. It had been for a while. Only recently, she realized it. The tablet was not her first clue, but it was what confirmed it. She had no idea what it was. Only making up the name on the spot. But she knew, deep down, she should. Something that powerful would not have slipped past the Elyndris of old.

Once the rest of her knowledge faded, she would be left with nothing except a curse. Her knowledge was the one thing she could contribute to the pack of monsters she joined. Without it, she was what? A worm that could burn people slightly a few times. Despite her battle lust, she simply could not come close to the destruction the others brought upon their foes. Even Hunter could kill more easily than Elyndris.

Her magic was coming along, but not quickly enough. It simply wasn't powerful enough without the aid of Daggat. Or it was too dangerous to use too often, in the case of her raw explosion.

That was why she pondered so carefully. Hours went by with her reading and rereading the biotraits. She discovered she could undo decisions, allowing her to experiment. This was something that was too powerful to be allowed, yet it remained. Did the angels not test their own stuff? She searched her fading memories along with the list for any tricks and synergies, finding several. Her past life was an expert, and she had time to experiment.

And she was still clever. That was retained. She was still ruthless and greedy. She would make every biotrait point worth it. When she returned from this rebirth, the party would be made stronger for it. Her thanks to them for keeping her alive all this time. For putting up with her ego and not only allowing her to thrive, but to actively help her grow.

They would be unstoppable.

First, she decided on the purpose of this form. It would bring destruction. Where Klaw and Anath excelled at slaughter at a personal distance, she would wreck the entire battlefield.

Next, she needed to use the boon granted by the altar. It applied to the first biotrait she purchased, so she would need to be careful about what to choose.

Senses were incredibly important for survival and convenience. Eyes would be only a single point. However. Elyndris had made it a point so far as not to rely on eyes. She wasn't going to start now. The old reliable, Enhanced touch with the tremor sense mutation was what she went with. Not only did it provide vision, but it also gave her an excellent sense of hearing, in a sense. Soon, she could upgrade it to thaumic sense if she wanted to, but for now, this would do.

Next, attributes. For what she needed, strength AND constitution would need to be fifteen. But, she didn't have the attribute points to spend. Luckily, there were workarounds.

For them, she needed to spend a few biotrait points. One point for complex organs, it would be needed for more than one reason. Unfortunately, it couldn't be upgraded itself, but it granted access to several biotraits. One point to Redundant Organs. It made it harder for massive damage to kill her by giving her a backup of the important organs. This was a discovery she would present to the party.

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Next, a biotrait she planned to present to Klaw once he gained monster levels again. Muscle Helix. Every muscle fiber twisted with a clone of itself, forming a stronger effect. This, by itself, would increase strength. One difference between biotraits and skills was that biotraits tended to be more organic in the way they enhanced numbers. It built off of itself, rather than granting straight bonuses. In the case of Muscle Helix, every two growth points spent into strength granted a free one.

[Biotrait Synergy requirements detected. Redundant Organs, Muscle Helix. Combine into Dual-physiology? Yes or No?]

Ah, there it is. She accepted the synergy. It combined the effects of the two biotraits, bouncing them off of each other. Twin hearts, each twice as strong as they should be. Four lungs, each alternating breath with a complex diaphragm. The effect allowed the same growth effect to strength to apply to constitution.

Six points into strength and constitution. Bringing them to seventeen and sixteen.

[Feat achieved: Mighty Strength. Cause: Raise Strength base to 15. Reward: Size increase. Accept? Yes/no]

She accepted the feat. But her form was still too small. The size of a large cat.

[Feat achieved: Mighty Constitution. Cause: Raise Constitution base to 15. Reward: Disease Resistance. Accept? Yes/no]

And another feat. One of many. If Elyndris could cackle in this form, she would. She had to do with being smug about it to herself.

No need to get distracted, however. She still had a ways to go.

Next, A biotrait that required fifteen strength and constitution. One Hunter had access to, but one he would surely never choose. Great Bulk. This increased her size to small, matching Daggat. It was still too small for her liking, but it would have to do.

Next, her offensive capabilities. She needed legs to pounce. That was another point. And Jaws to bite and latch and feed. Another point there. Now she could leap and bite with great strength. Only three points left.

These went to her defenses.

Force-distributing flesh was a must for what she had in mind. As was Heat Resistant Skin. She selected both.

[Biotrait Synergy requirements detected. Force Distributing Flesh, Heat Resistant Skin. Combine into Energy Distributing Flesh? Yes or No?]

Energy Distributing Flesh spread both force and heat through her entire body, leaving it slightly elastic and conductive. This would reduce the damage. Even more so with her greater constitution.

Her last point was spent on upgrading it. Energy Transference. This would transfer energy that her body absorbed into a focused point of her choosing. Unfortunately, it wouldn't be even close to an efficient transfer. But still, foes in the grip of her jaws should beware.

She mentally stepped back, finally satisfied with the build. Her holographic form was larger, bloated. It had slightly crystalline skin and dripping jaws. The legs were situated to her sides, like those of a lizard.

That wouldn't do.

Luckily, there was another feature to metamorphosis she enjoyed. Sculpting. Form the actual mass of her body into whatever shape suited her. As long as she didn't adjust to extremes, it seemed she could shape anything within the size category.

Her body was too long. She shortened it, made it rounder and more squat. Shifting the center of mass back. A small tail-like part of her body assisted with this. She was still a worm, technically. Without bones to support her. It seemed, however, the limb biotrait did default a bone structure into those limbs, just as it had for her wings. But the body couldn't support itself without drooping.

So, she brought her legs underneath her and made her feet wide. At rest, they would be under her, ready to be used for leaping and hopping. That was how she would move.

Of course, she made the jaws as large as the system would allow, facing it towards the front.

And then she was done. Her new form. Perfect for leaping and biting. As strong and sturdy as an ogre… or oni, now. She had a weakness in piercing or slashing damage, but other than that, she practically couldn't be hurt. Not by anything around their level, at least.

There was still time left. She would have to use metamorphosis again to build her next form.

She could sleep, if she wanted. Let the time pass by normally. Instead, she opted to work.

In this void, she could form a spell, but not cast it. That was fine, because forming the spell was the practice she needed. Over and over, she formed the same spell. A level three spell that was becoming easier and easier to cast.

Two force constructs and one energy construct. No shape. A raw explosion that she was now, in most situations, immune to. Whoever she was attached to, however, was not.

She did not get bored. She did not lose focus. The thought of her enemies exploding into bits while she held them in her jaws was all the motivation she needed.

That, and an occasional glance at her new stats.

True Name: Elyndris

Soul: Monster

Genseed: Larva [ 1 Str, 1 Dex, 1 Con, 1 Int, 1 Wil, 1 Cha; minuscule Size] — Full Growth Bonus: +1 to all attributes, +6 growth points, +1 biotrait

Base size: Small [Largest Size: Larva; Mighty Strength; Great Bulk]

Monster Level: 14

Attributes 11(0/12)(Base growth, +5; Larva, +6; Devotion, +1): Strength: 17 (Genesis, +2; growth +6; Devotion +1, Dual-Physiology +3) Dexterity: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth +5) Constitution: 16 (Genesis, +2; growth +5, Dual-Physiology +3) Intelligence: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth +5) Will: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth, +5) Charm: 7 (Genesis, +2; growth, +5)

Feats: True Angel - Encounter a true angel. Reward: Skill choice unlocks. System Knowledge - Discover the system. Reward: System Aptitude skill. Vile Concoction - Willingly drink a diseased brew. Reward: Disease Resistance. Devotion [layered feats] - Offer a prayer to Sahrzuel, Ithrenial, Mythraziel, Vaelion, and Zenthaviel. Reward: Experience gain, +2 skill points, +1 random ability, +1 growth point, +1 biotrait. Blasphemy - Blaspheme the angels. Reward: A curse upon you. Mighty Intellect - Raise Intelligence base to 15. Reward: +1 Skill point.

Mighty Strength - Raise Strength base to 15. Reward: Size increase Fledgling Mage - Successfully cast a spell. Reward: Spellcraft skill. Mighty Constitution - Raise Constitution base to 15. Reward: Disease Resistance biotrait

Skills (0/3) (Mortal Levels, +0; Devotion, +2; Mighty Intellect, +1): Burst of Strength: 1 (Ability Skill: Strength 5) Pounce: 1 Construct Capacity: 1 Spellcraft: 1 [Source: Fledgling Mage]

Biotraits (0/15)(Monster Level +13; Devotion +1; Larva +1): Disease Resistance [Source: Vile Concoction, Mutations: Rot Resistance(Mighty Constitution)] Metamorphosis [Mutations: Swift Change, Extra Form, Rebirth; Apex Reached] Enhanced Touch [Mutations: Tremor Sense (Boon)] [Structural] Complex organs [Structural] Limbs (Legs) [Synergy] Dual-Physiology — Redundant Organs — Muscle Helix Great Bulk [Structural] Jaws [Synergy] Energy Distributing Flesh [Mutations: Energy Transference] — Force Distributing Flesh — Heat Resistant Skin

Other:

Curse: Ungenesis

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