Memories were vague.
“K-*p fi*g -ntil **e e—m-y is *********.”
That had always been the case. Remembering even the previous day had been a challenge, but they never noticed the dilemma, as how could they if that was how they always lived?
{Alert: User has awoken.}
Confusion.
The scorpion’s body cracked as it broke out of the flaky shell, and its hollow red eyes took in the surroundings. A cave with no sun but light reflected from somewhere; even with its poor vision, it was able to sense the surroundings.
Confusion.
The scorpion was confused… in many ways… Its mind never felt so clear, not that it remembered a time when it wasn’t clear.
{Inform: User, you are currently within a collapsed cave.}
It took minutes for the scorpion to understand what the voice within its mind was stating.
Who?
With each passing moment, she felt newfound clarity.
{Explain: I am the extra skill [Voice Of Guidance]. I temporarily exist to help the user understand themselves.}
What?
{Teach: Please think about yourself. Key word – Status}
She didn’t know what those words meant, but the scorpion could understand the intent, and her weakened instincts were telling her to trust the voice.
Name: Velasteros
Race: [Black Scorpion] [0/20]
Stats: [0]
[Vitality] - 5
[Strength] - 15
[Endurance] - 7
[Intelligence] - 0 (+10)
[Wisdom] - 8
[Agility] - 4
Skills: 0/3
[Unoccupied Slot]
[Unoccupied Slot]
[Unoccupied Slot]
Extra Skills:
[Voice Of Guidance]
Confusion.
Velasteros still couldn’t completely comprehend.
Instincts told her that this was her.
The missing pieces wanted to be filled, however, before Velasteros's instincts could fill those missing skills.
{Alert: [Voice Of Guidance] is expanding resources required to complete wish: [Intelligence] +10.]
{Alert: [Voice Of Guidance] is expanding additional resources required to complete wish: [Intelligence] +10.}
Velasteros’s mind froze again as the scrapped cogs began to move for the first time.
An unknown amount of time passed again as Velasteros began to process information.
Annoyance of the wait sprang in her mind, planting roots for the first time–a strange citrus taste.
Status. Able to understand.
She couldn’t quite grasp the words, but she understood the intent of everything now.
Never understood before.
Finally, she comprehended what she was. Remembering her creation and master. Two memories she was allowed to keep.
Instincts or Master handled.
{Explain: I’m an extra skill. Extra skills are formed by strong desires and are usually made during a time of heightened emotions; they will always be made to fulfil that want. Extra skills are, by nature, temporary and take a lot out of the user. I will exist until you evolve, and I will explain yourself to you, and other basic information. My other purpose is to increase your stats. By default, [Voice Of Guidance] increases your [Intelligence] by 10 and will modify your natural stat growth to further deploy that stat.}
The sweet and overly strong taste of annoyance returned after the long explanation. However, Velasteros understood the meaning behind the [Voice Of Guidance]’s explanation.
She understood that [Voice Of Guidance] was helping her thinking. Otherwise, she would be acting on instincts alone.
The creeping sensation of worry stalked the corners of her mind as they broke into the surface for the first time.
Confusion. Why couldn’t I think?
The feelings clashed and mixed with the annoyance, as both wanted to know why they were never watered before.
{Inform: [Intelligence] is related to memory and comprehension of basic ideas. At [Intelligence: 10], a creature gains a basic understanding. At [Intelligence: 50], reaches human level.}
Why couldn't I think? Make [Intelligence] bigger.
{Inform: Scorpion species have low [Intelligence] gain, but as all species will eventually increase as they grow.}
I was most grown!
Anger burst up, covering the mind in lava as the world heated up.
{Inform: You were an adult scorpion; however, additional skills provided by your master dramatically increased your power but reduced [Intelligence]. This left the value at 0 as it cannot go negative.}
Master. Destroyed. My mind?
Sorrow sizzled against the flames of anger. Confusion shook everything as the worry crawled away, and annoyance hid as it had no use.
Anger and pain.
Sorry and confusion.
Velasteros knew it was the Master’s servant. It also knew the others and Master were different from it.
Am. Unable. To understand.
Tears of blue blood dripped down from its eyes as its body broke apart to perform the act.
Understanding hurt; it was causing pain.
Pain was the emotions; the understanding of those feelings.
But understanding was so wonderful…
How…
Velasteros had felt anger before; however, this rage felt magical, the sorrow whimsical, and the worry haunting.
Is this how siblings? Understood emotions?
She cried out in pain, not knowing where the pain was coming from, not understanding betrayal.
Clueless as to what these new sprouts that were trying to grow in her mind were.
{Suggestion: Increase your level. Levels can be increased by various factors. Current ideal method, combat. The user should hunt some nearby creatures to reach a higher level and for sustenance.}
Agreed.
Velasteros still knew how to hunt; that was instinct. The body remembered the movements required to kill a living being. However, this time, Velasteros watched its own movements, curious as to why it made them.
The cave system had minimal life, but Velasteros could feel the vibration of movement along the wall.
The slug creature couldn’t even comprehend moving before the sharp point of the stinger injected poison straight into its body.
Repeat.
Velasteros’s hunger grew.
Another slug was chewing on the lifeless moss along the wall, and then its head popped when it was gripped between the pincer blades.
Repeat.
She found a small spider that made for a light snack.
Repeat!
Her instincts were overwhelming her mind as she kept chasing after any movement, killing and eating all that she could find.
…
The cave was quiet, and Velasteros could not feel another soul. She digested her food, recovering the energy from the hunt.
{Inform: Level Increase: Lv0→Lv1.}
Soon, she knew she had levelled up even without the voice.
Name: Velasteros
Species: [Black Scorpion] [1/20]
Stats: [1]
[Vitality] - 5→6
[Strength] - 15→16
[Endurance] - 7
[Intelligence] - 0→3 (+30)
[Wisdom] - 8→9
[Agility] - 4
Skills: 0/3
[Unoccupied Slot]
[Unoccupied Slot]
[Unoccupied Slot]
Extra Skills:
[Voice Of Guidance]
This feels good. The process of thoughts becoming clearer…
Intelligence is nice… Velasteros unknowingly started dancing with excitement. Her little legs tapped along the stone floor.
Then, a thought came to Velasteros, a little nugget that, once lodged, she became curious to open.
How did you know? Enemies? Prey?
{Response: [Voice Of Guidance] has been active the entire time you’ve been asleep and aware of your surroundings.}
What else do you know?
{Response: I know the experiences the user has lived through. Full information on the user’s status and what skills they may unlock.}
Understood…
The warmth of clarity. Velasteros needed more of it. To comprehend the feelings, the emotions bubbling inside of her.
What is [Intelligence]?
{Explain: [Intelligence] is your memory and understanding. A higher [Intelligence] provides the user with a larger memory, the ability to recall information more easily, and the ability to understand complex concepts quickly. [Intelligence] is integral for the user to understand themselves and the world around them. At certain milestones, an individual reaches an enlightenment stage. The basic milestones are at [Intelligence: 10] and [Intelligence: 50].}
Understood. So intelligence is really good! It has. Help me... It has made me happy.
Velasteros felt sparkles inside her stomach. It was weird that her mind could create magical effects in her body, but it felt nice.
{Response: It’s considered the worst stat. As the gap between the enlightenment stages gets progressively wider. While enhanced memory and understanding are useful, there is a soft limit at which the effects get less noticeable and effective when levelling it up. There are typically levels of intelligence that individuals reach before neglecting the stat.}
Weirdos…
{Inform: As you have reached [Level: 1], you are now able to select your skills.}
She felt an insatiable tug that gripped her sanity, but so many of these emotions were strange that she ignored it.
Available Skill - [Obsidian Tyrant Empress Remains]
Available Skill - [Crush], [Barrier], [Force Pull], [Stealth], [Quiet Killer], [Enhanced Venom], [Stone Shell]
What. Do these things?
Velasteros focused on them, the skills, and with a combination of instincts and her mind–
–I feel that. [Obsidian Tyrant Empress Remains]. [Enhanced Venom]. [Crush]. Are the best. What do they do?
{Response: You usually won’t know. However, while I exist, I can explain them to you.}
{Inform: When you allocate a skill, it cannot be removed for a period of time. Once that option becomes available and you remove a skill, the skill will become unavailable until your next evolution, with a chance that the skill will disappear forever.}
{Question: Do you wish for a description for each skill?}
Yes.
{Explain: [Obsidian Tyrant Empress Remains] This will greatly affect your stat growth, making it many times greater than normal. It will also give you the affinity for fire-related skills, poison-related skills, gas-related skills, earth-related skills, and lava-related skills. It will also affect your evolution options.}
{Explain: [Crush] enhances an attack, dealing additional damage. For you, only attacks with your pincers or body when jumping will qualify for use.}
{Explain: [Barrier] creates a dome around the user, protecting them from attacks.}
{Explain: [Force Pull] pulls the target closer to the user and has an extremely tiny range.}
{Explain: [Stealth] lowers the user's presence and makes it harder to be detected.}
{Explain: [Quiet Killer] reduces the noise when attacking. Additionally, lowers the sound caused by the victim.}
{Explain: [Enhanced Venom] improves the toxicity of the user's venom.}
{Explain: [Stone Shell] increases the toughness of the user's exoskeleton and gives it stone-like properties.}
{Inform: Using skills will make the user tired, and at a certain point, you won’t be able to activate them anymore without proper rest.}
Old strength… What made me great. I’m scared to lose it again. To die. Again.
The one memory that was truly clear. That was only hazy at first due to never remembering information before, but as her mind filled with substance, it couldn’t stay buried. The metal that penetrated her flesh, the blood that fell from her shell, the heat from her body scorching her exposed flesh, and the dread as she remembered watching the hammer fall down.
The fear was developing into a trauma as she gained the capability.
However, as the instincts pulled her mind into the stormy river, another fear created a warning to stop her before she jumped.
Voice. Will the… skill decrease my [Intelligence]?
{Response: Yes. It will give you an enhanced stat growth many times greater, but there will be a penalty to Intelligence. As the skill is meant for you to recover your lost power, it will make your stats adjust till they reach what they were.}
Her instincts took control as she felt herself moving towards the edge of the abyss.
I like the Thought. I wanted more, but my power cost…
Towards the mindless servant.
AGHHHH!!!! Suddenly she hissed in a violent rage and frustration. Her pincers slashing at the rock as she lashed out upon this small contained world of cold stone. The power she once held was long gone, the proof being the simple act of her claws cracking under the force of her self-inflicted wounds.
I’m trying to… Remember. Past.
The wounds from where her carapace cracked and blood dripped hadn’t fully healed.
To get an. Idea. Of what is best. My instincts. Tell me. What is best for me?
However, her instincts fully leaned towards one skill, without any thought or deliberation, which burned her mind with pain at the inaction.
I had. Brothers, Sisters. They weren’t Scorpions. They were smart? Smarter? I had a master, whom I listened to.
Velasteros felt her limited intelligence slip away.
I’m. Trying to go through. My memories. But. Hard. Voice explain. What I am. How I am.
{History: You are Velasteros, also known as the Obsidian Calamity. An [Apocalyptic Obsidian Scorpion] whose power of fire, lava, and poisonous gases made you a threat to all life. You had a master, and you, along with thirteen others, served him. You had reached the level cap, one of the few creatures in recent history to do so. You fought a great deal of battles and eventually nearly died fighting while attempting to complete your master orders.}
Hard. To understand.
Her mind was clouded for the first time. The fog felt suffocating, but as she tried to see through to reclaim clarity, she only found poisonous truth.
But… Master made. ME. I died. For them. He also… Broke me.
From the beginning…
He broke me.
Only me…
Me broke…
Broken.
…
I…
The fog was pushed away, and the anger incinerated the confusion. Velasteros didn’t know what the world was or what it had to offer, but she knew now one fact about herself.
I want to…
One that she repeated in her mind.
Learn… I want to learn.