Evolve

by Derek Belfield

  He made his way the short distance from the tree line to the city by full dark. He noticed that the entrance closest to him had been sealed closed. There was only a man-sized hole cut into the portcullis, and it was guarded by a score of Scourge soldiers. They looked to be on high alert, and Mordryn didn't like his chances of making it through the city by normal means.

  He circled around the city until he came to a stretch of wall that was unguarded. This was precisely what he had meant earlier when he figured the city would be in chaos. There clearly weren't enough soldiers to go around to protect every part of the town. It was the perfect environment for someone like him. He began to climb up the side of the fifteen-foot wall using a combination of supernatural strength and plenty of hand grips to make his way up. Unlike the walls around Soulreach, these were neither tall nor wide enough to keep out a determined enemy. Additionally, they had never been smoothed on the outside to keep people such as him from quickly climbing them.

  Once he reached the top of the wall, he was met with another surprise. Much of the area in between the inner and outer cities had been entirely turned to rumble. Even from here, he could smell the cocktail of scents that spoke to blood sacrifice and soul workings. If he didn't know better, he would say that the aristocracy here had summoned a war golem. He considered that. If that were true, it would have been the first one summoned since the last campaign he had been on with Mor's father. He didn't like that he didn't have all the facts. He slipped into the city like a ghost. He was determined to find out what was going on so that he could kill whoever was responsible for threatening his Collective.

  Chapter 25: Right of the Victor

  Slate and Shale had consumed well over 450 biomass by the time Winterborn interrupted again. This brought their total up to 600 biomass each. They looked up from their meal. Since Winterborn had been here last, half of the chamber had been cleaned of its dead. She gulped and studied the two monsters. She hadn't realized how voracious in their appetites they could be. She was sincerely thankful that the Scourge was on their side rather than against them. If their progeny were anything like them, it would be challenging to keep them satiated for long.

  "Is it time?" Slate asked, breaking the lieutenant from her thoughts.

  "Yes, my Lord," she said with a startled salute. Slate looked back, and his mate strode forward to join him. Winterborn couldn't help but notice their predatory nature as they got closer.

  They looked like the humanoid lizards with heads that resembled a fusion between a crocodile and a human being. Their scales covered their bodies like a suit of armor. They were eerily quiet and spry on their feet for such enormous creatures. Winterborn supposed that was because of the talons that were exact copies of their claws. They were human-like except tipped with razor-sharp cutting implements. There was even a second opposing thumb opposite to the normal one.

  Winterborn had seen those digits in action as it allowed them all of the dexterity of an ape able to use any limb with equal aplomb. The deadliest visible attribute of theirs was the long tail that they carried at their sides. A long blade tipped it that was sharper than any swords. Winterborn had seen them use the knife to completely decapitate and maim their enemies.

  Just from being in the same room as these apex predators, Winterborn felt a little intimidated. Watching them eat the corpses of their enemies sent shivers down her spine as she was reminded of her own mortality. If it weren't for the fact that they all served the Lord of Light, Winterborn could imagine a world where she never wanted to be in the presence of these terrible creatures again.

  If she was fair, though, they had done nothing but protect the Guardians and advance the Scourge. Some of them had died in the pursuit of their goals, but then Winterborn and the others had understood that might be the price she paid. With these thoughts running through her head she informed the Scourge leadership in a crisp, professional tone belying none of her tumultuous thoughts.

  "With the assistance of the Scourge, we've located an abandoned Vallyrian highlord's house. The Circle thinks that he died when they summoned the golem. They have sent representatives from each of their factions to wait for you at the manor at your leisure."

  As she spoke, Slate raised a scale eyebrow. "You allowed them to pick the location?"

  "Yes, My Lord. We didn't have the manpower to locate a suitable location and still carry out your other orders." She said earnestly.

  Slate frowned and tried to suppress his irritation at being outmaneuvered by the Circle. "That's fine. I understand the Guardians are trying their best. You may escort us to the manor in a moment. My mate and I have mutations we need to choose first."

  I don't want to go out there without getting our newest mutations towards its next evolution. Slate told Shale through the Scourgemind.

  Probably a good idea. Go ahead and select the ones you think will best suit our build. She replied.

  Anything you think we should increase? He asked.

  Shale thought about their last fight. She had been injured by a long fall from the height of a couple stories high. There were definitely some lessons learned from that engagement. For right now, not really. Our lowest mutations should be leveled. Since we can't use multiple kinds of mana, you should look for some upgrades that will increase our defenses against hostile magic. She advised.

  I do know that the next time we can get a completely new mutation, you should upgrade our musculature. If my head had been a bit thicker, I might not have gotten so dazed in the middle of a fight. If I had been by myself, that would have been lethal. Her tone was considerate rather than fearful.

  Solid reasoning. The Heritor replied before looking at the list of possible mutations. The first thing he selected was hypertrophy and the advanced somatic nervous system. They were still at the lowest level, and Slate figured that he could find something that would increase their survivability but also provide utility later on. What he needed was something that could convert mana into healing ability. If he chose that and some sort of absorption ability on his scales, he could potentially not only defend against enemy magic but use it to make him stronger. If that happened, they would become a sort of mage killer and enemies would have to face them in melee combat.

  If that happened, Slate was confident that their natural monster abilities would be more than enough to kill opponents that were more skilled than they. After scanning through the list of potential choices, Slate found a new entry that hadn't been available before he had selected his Aspect of Cleansing Flame.

  Mana-forged Hypertrophy (MFH): this mutation enhances the previous mutation hypertrophy and optimizes it for use with the Aspect of Cleansing Flame. No longer is frequent consumption of biomass required to maintain the modification. Hypertrophy is now dependent upon the amount of fire and light mana stored within the body and in the ambient environment. Mana can now be used to supplement and regenerate damaged skeletal muscle.

  Slate quickly selected the mutation and then moved on to his Advanced Somatic Nervous System. He wasn't sure if it would have a variation that would also make it better complement his Aspect of Cleansing Fire, but he was willing to bet it did. Sometimes, it didn't feel like he was making new choices in his build but rediscovering old ones. It would be just like Lucidus to give him the appearance of choice while crafting him into her perfect weapon. Once again, a new entry caught his eye.

  Mana Forged Nervous System (MFNS): this mutation enhances the somatic and autonomic nervous system and optimizes them for use with the Aspect of Cleansing Flame. Improvements to the somatic nervous system include mana reinforcement for the motor and peripheral nerve fibers of the body.

  Even if a nerve is damaged, information can still be transmitted through the corresponding mana channel

  When the Aspect of Cleansing Fire is channeled, data is transmitted through the mana channels rather than the biological counterparts, resulting in a further decrease in reaction time between the brain, spinal cord, and skeletal muscle. Mana can now be
used to supplement and regenerate damaged motor and peripheral nerves.

  The improved automatic nervous system doesn't rely on biomass to fuel its various functions. Automatic bodily functions like the heartbeat, digestion, and breathing are now dependent upon the amount of fire and light mana stored within the body and in the ambient environment. These functions can now be accelerated by channeling mana to achieve various performance-enhancing benefits such as the hyperoxygenation of the blood, an increased metabolism, or the ability to go without oxygen for limited amounts of time.

  Slate slavered over the newest mutation. This was the lengthiest mutation description he had ever seen, and the number of tangible benefits was almost overwhelming. These two mutations essentially turned him into a creature powered by mana. There certainly had to be disadvantages. Slate could imagine a scenario where he could be completely drained of mana and weaken or die. He would be an idiot to assume magic or abilities like that didn't exist in this world. But he knew through his own mana vision, that ambient mana existed everywhere in the world around him.

  With his aspect of cleansing fire absorbing and converting the mana around him, he virtually removed the necessity for him to consume anything to survive. It would be difficult for an enemy to cut him off from every source of mana in Somnium.

  He selected the next mutation and immediately felt an energy flush through his body. He felt alive in a way that he had never experienced before. His senses felt like they had been ratcheted up to a new level as the barest change in the air was immediately perceptible to his skin. He looked over to Shale and saw her reveling in the same sensations.

  This is…amazing. Shale said with awe in her voice. Slate silently agreed. He had 300 biomass left, and it was enough to take one of his second-tier evolutions to its third tier. Taking Shale's advice he selected his scales and scanned through the list.

  In keeping with his last decisions, he found a mana-forged version of his scales and mentally focused on the description.

  Mana-Forged Scaled Hide (MFSH): this mutation enhances the body's scales and optimizes them for use with the Aspect of Cleansing Flame. Small mana channels grow into the surface of the scales providing four main benefits. First, the rate of ambient mana absorption is increased because of mana channel exposure to the environment. Second, light or fire mana can be channeled through the scales. Light can be channeled to provide true invisibility, and fire can be channeled to create a fiery defense. Both abilities will expend stored light and fire mana. Third, hostile magic can be slowly absorbed and converted into light and fire mana. If the hostile magic outstrips the absorption rate, scales will die and fall off. Finally, mana can now be used to supplement and regenerate damaged scales.

  The cost was expensive, but the new abilities were more than worth the price. Slate spent the last of his biomass selecting the mutation, and he observed his scales as he watched the modification take place. On each of his golden scales, small silver channels like the veins of a leaf grew into each surface. The effect made each one glitter like individual jewels. Looking at Shale, he noticed that the threads that grew on her were gold in comparison to her silver scales. The effect was stunning on both of them. If they weren't such deadly beasts, they could be mistaken for works of art.

  They hadn't taken long to select their mutations, but Lieutenant Winterborn gasped as the last change took hold. The two monsters couldn't help but preen in front of the Guardian's apparent awe. Shale was especially smug.

  Slate smiled with razor-sharp teeth. "Let's go, Lieutenant."

  The woman saluted. "Aye, Lord Heritor."

  They made their way out of the center stronghold and when they stepped onto the street, six Guardians formed around them as an escort. Slate idly wondered what the point was when he and Shale were more deadly than all of the guardians combined. He swallowed that thought once they made past the portcullis to the inner city. Citizens lined the street on all sides. They seemed to be waiting for a sign of their new rulers. Walk confidently but don't meet the eyes of any of the citizens. Slate advised. We want to seem like victorious conquerors. These people came to see us and not the other way around. Slate quickly briefed her on what to do. He could distinctly feel her nervousness.

  Both of the Scourge leaders walked forward shining like diamond and topaz jewelry. The rising sun glinted off of their scales, and they could feel the awe from the citizens around them. They held their lizard-like maws high in the air and let their eyes imperiously scan over the assembled crowd. They looked relaxed and confident as they walked down the street, and they could feel the effect it was having on the citizens of Bastion.

  Many would touch a knuckle to their brow in deference or slightly bend at the waist as they passed. There was a variety of cultures and practices that determined how the various people showed their respect to the new leadership, but it was almost universal in the city. Slate suspiciously wondered how much of this was genuine and how much of this was organized by the Circle. If he had been in their positions he would have made sure that his political enemies felt as confident as possible before he took them for everything they were worth. Politicians had the unfortunate habit of thinking the people they met on the campaign trail were representative of the entire population they were seeking to win.

  From his experience, Slate knew that was a dangerous assumption to make. For every citizen in the streets right now, there were ten who were saboteurs. The message that they projected right now was important. Displaying strength and confidence were essential in discouraging any would-be rebels from thinking they could take advantage of the inevitable chaos the city would experience in the transfer of power.

  After walking deep into the outer city, they finally arrived at a stone manor that was opulently appointed with carved statues of gargoyles and other nightmarish creatures. The doors themselves were engraved with the faces of screaming souls in agony. The entire building was representative of the Vallyrian rule, and both of the Scourge royalty found it disgusting. When they reached the door, two Guardians took a position at the iron gate that surrounded it, and two more took up positions on either side of the door on the broad steps. Two more began to circle around the outside, presumably to start patrolling the perimeter.

  As Lieutenant Winterborn opened the door for the two to enter, a crowd gathered in front of the manor. The foyer of the building was large and richly decorated with tapestries and art that featured more Vallyrian atrocities. Slate began to wonder if the setting the Circle had chosen was intentional or one of convenience. The lieutenant closed the door behind them and led the way to a set of chamber doors.

  After opening these doors as well, the two Scourge stepped inside and studied their surroundings. They were in a large room clearly designed for meetings. A large circle table was in the center of the room, and there were matching wooden chairs arrayed all around it. At the opposite end of the table, facing the door from which they had entered, two empty, ornate chairs waited. Two guardians stood behind the chairs, their face stony with practiced severity. As they walked in twenty humans stood up and waited for them in complete silence. None of them made a show of respect or even gave the two monarchs a greeting.

  Slate decided to be generous and think that the reason they didn't greet them was that they were unsure if they would unintentionally disrespect their new leaders. Slate inclined his head and gestured for Shale to go first. She did, barely sparing a glance for the twenty men and women who watched her pause. Her body language was confident, relaxed, and haughty. Slate was proud of her performance.

  When they reached their waiting chairs, they both sat down without saying a word, and the twenty individuals sat down as well. Slate spoke to his mate through the Scourgemind. Watch them and identify anyone who looks happy with how things are proceeding. The people who are too confident are the ones currently plotting. The unsure ones are the intelligent ones waiting to see how the situation will develop. We'll kill the former and cultivate the latter. He felt her give he
r assent, but otherwise, he couldn't see a reaction from her.

  Slate waited to speak. The member who addressed them first was likely the leader of this collection of individuals, and he wanted to discover the power dynamics at play. He reflected on the fact that simply killing them would be much simpler, but he had learned from his mistake when he killed the elders of the Lighthaven.

  Finally, an elderly man with dark hair, dark eyes, and olive skin began to speak. He looked like he was a merchant of some type used to speaking with demanding customers. Slate could tell from the tone the man was using on the

  "My Lord—" He began.

  Slate interrupted with a voice as smooth and sweet as honey. "You may call me Lord Heritor." The man paused taken aback at such a commanding and regal voice coming from the maw of a monster.

  "My Lord, Heritor." He tried again. "I am Mark Steele, and we are representatives of the Circle." He gestured to the men and women around him.