Ascenders: Rising From Zero

Adjusting to Form

For a minute or so, Bayo felt nothing. Emptiness. 

Then Thoom!

A sudden blast of various scents hit him all at once. He could feel the heat of the sun blazing harshly at him and the stale air around  accompanied with the smell of fresh grass.

Wow!

This is how it felt to be alive.

'Ah, I miss being alive.' Bayo reached for his face but felt nothing like arms. 

'Wait, I am still bodiless?' Disappointed, he sighed, mentally.

'Yasmin, uhm... you there?'

'Yes?' Yasmin's cool, collected voice came once more in his head. 

'Why don't I have a body?' He asked.

'If you had been patient earlier with the Ascender Induction, all of this would be explained already.' Yasmin replied.

Bayo frowned mentally.

'Well, help me, damn you.' 

Nothing.

'Yasmin?' Bayo asked uncertainly.

Why the forge was Yasmin quiet suddenly.

'Yasmin, please, I'm scared. Don't leave me alone.' Bayo began panicking.

'I haven't left you. Like I said, I will help you. It's bad enough I failed my mission. Please, don't make it any worse for me. Your survival at this state belongs to me.'

'Well... damnit...' 

'Why do I feel watched, again?' Bayo asked, feeling stares fixed on him again. He extended his senses, since that was the only thing he could helplessly do, at least until Yasmin said something.

He seemed to be in a sort of depression concealed from sight by lush green grasses. A little further from me was something moving. A worm like thing?

His senses hit a restriction now as he concentrated, the rebounding hurting greatly.

'Ouch'

Bayo tried, once more but this time, he felt the restriction and trailed about it softly. Somehow he felt a presence above the restriction and he focused upwards. 

It was a four footed figure of some sort. 

And above it, on some branches were some sort of bird like shape, watching him keenly.

It seemed like each of the creatures were considering whether he was a tasty snack. And Goddamnit, he was in some sort of forest and worse, he was just a blob of defenceless mass.

'Life forms detected and analyzed. Would you want to see the analysis?'  Yasmin spoke.

OhJoy!

Hearing Yasmin's speak made Bayo all giddy with happiness. Suddenly, he didn't feel so panicky and alone anymore.

'Yes, yes. Show me!' He yelled happily.

'Life form analysis.

Earth Wafting Worm - Common Type

Soul status: Basic

Maximum energy level: 7

Ability: Able to waft through any surface

The Earth Wafting Worm is a Common Type creature that maxs out its soul strength at Ground and is commonly known for its ability to dig through virtually any surface, soil or metal. '

That's nice. To waft through anything. Bayo thought, commending the creature.

'IronSpike Tailed Dog -Common Type

Soul Status: Ground Class

Max Energy level: 17

The iron spiked tailed dog is renowned for its spike ball at the end of its tail. It's cunning and strength make it a beast to be feared, at least for its level.'

'Oh ... that's an even greater stats than the previous one. Well, what can I say? Wait till you see mine.' Bayo boasted internally 

'The third life form is the 

Black Eyed Tirian - Ground Class

Max Energy level: 14

Ability: None

The Black-eyed tirian is an adept and agile fighter known for it's surprise dive attacks. It's small body makes up for its agility and this a deadly foe when encountered.'

Yasmin finished his analysis leaving Bayo unimpressed at Black Eyed Tirian.

It's aerial capability could be something but nah. That would be nothing without an ability to compliment.

So basically, a worm, dog and a birdie was observing him as a possible delicacy.

Ah...

What would be his chances of survival supposing any were to make up its mind finally?

Oh Wow! He didn't even know what his soul status was. 

Uhm... Yasmin?

'Yes?'

'What are my status? Like soul status?' Bayo asked.

'I am sorry! I can not determine that as you have no body yet.'

'Oh, snap! I'm still a ball.' Bayo cursed himself mentally. 'I am supposed to evolve, right? If Biology that I was taught in school was true, then to evolve means to grow to an advanced form, right?'

'Yes! You currently have 3 absorptions, a bonus from your base law, The law of gluttony  . To evolve...'

'Yo! Hold it there! Law of gluttony? What that?' Bayo queried, puzzled.

At that, he could swear he heard Yasmin sigh. 

'Like I stated before, you are one of the 21 ascenders on the path to evolution to God Status. Each of the ascenders are gifted affinity in one of the Demonic Laws ranging from Pride, Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath and envy. 

You have been gifted a birthright affinity of the Law of Gluttony which is the most basic law for evolution and as such, you have received 3 Absorption instead of just one.

To want more and keep them all is the virtue that would show itself as you evolve as you would be able to retain features of past life forms, a feature only unique to Law of Gluttony. '

Just then, Bayo sensed movement towards him. The Dog creature leapt off its rock and inches closer with a soft growl while the Worm decided to try its luck by moving forward.

He pushed his senses upwards and felt the air vibrate as the Tirian jumped to a lower branch, giving it a vantage advantage for an aerial attack.

'Uhh... Yasmin. These creatures are moving towards me? '

'Oh! That is nothing. They are only being curious and are trying to determine your threat level. 

But even as you are, you cannot be attacked except with soul destroying techniques which can only be possessed by Creatures with Affinity for laws. Neither of these creatures have affinity.

Just Mindless beasts.' Yasmin surmised.

Phew, that is comforting.

'Yasmin, what do you mean by those laws? Am I now a demon? And do you mean by Affinity?' Bayo queried.

'Not quite a demon.'

'What do you mean by not quite?' Bayo asked 

'At the moment, you are merely a soul. Even after getting a form. Your path on the ascencion will determine that. However nothing can erase the fact that you are from demonic origins as you have natural affinity for the dark order.

You cannot fight fire with Fire.

And Affinity is simply your capability to understand aspectual laws in your evolution.

And with greater understanding of Laws, greater power is accrued.

Oh. That meant he had to chooose a form to absorb fast. 

He sensed outwards again, notng the patience at which the three creatures observed him and sighed.

'Pity none of you has affinity. And that Doghie there looks promising though.

Yasmin, I'll just wait till I find a creature with Law affinity.

Take me from here.' 

'It is impossible. Your choice must be decided now as your soul has already started expiring without a body to coat it. '

What? 

Soul Expiration? Does that not mean death for him again? No way! 

He didn't want to taste death again. No. He would just settle for what he had.

And he had his option already.

'I can help you preserve your soul for longer till we find a creature with Law Affinity but that would mean relinquishing total control to me.'

What? No!!! A thousand damn NOs. 'Oh... give a parasite control over me? Like really? That's your soul domination tactic? 

Pooh!

I over rated you.' Bayo exhaled mentally.

Just then, the Ironspiked Tailed Dog let out a howl. Startled, Bayo let his senses fly outwards again, seeing as much as he could with his sensing. 

He noticed that the bird and worm had already taken flight, running away from the much stronger Dog.

'Well, I take it that it just marked it's territory, right?' Bayo whimpered.

'Yes!'

Just then The Ironspiked Tailed Dog leapt up, his limbs cooped together as it transverse the air towards Bayo.

'I thought you said they couldn't hurt me?' Bayo yelled in panic, his soul sending out pulses of energy.

'That is true but I never said that they couldn't swallow you whole.'

WHAT?

The dog descended now, it's jaws wide open showing a yellowed range of meat chewing teeth while it's tail swung heavily in the air.

The jaws closed in.

And Lap.

Bayo suddenly felt weightless as stickiness surrounded him. He didn't need eyes to tell him that he was being gobbled.

Yuck!

'Yasmin, it's swallowing me!'  The last thing on his list apart from dying again was being swallowed whole. Yuck!

'I know but you can't get hurt. We can only hope the beast carries us to where we can find a creature with Law affinity and...'

Slime thickneend around him giving the impression that he was being libricated for the journey through the throat. 

'Yasmin, Absorb!' 

'The Ironspiked Tailed Dog does nopossess affinity for laws. Do you wish to proceed?'

Damnit! 

He was already sliding down he throat. Below him, he could hear or rather sense the rumbling of its stomach with anxiety to welcome him.

And from School Biology, stomachs were naturally acidic.

Bodiless or not, there was no way he was going to experience the hungry churning acidity of a stomach.

'Yasmin. Just.. Do... IT' He yelled.

'Evolution initiated.' 

Bayo could feel the heat from the belly already. 

Faster, Yasmin!

'Preparing Bloodline.'

Shit! He was already down to the stomach and just about to plop into a pool of acid at the base when Yasmin's voice called out.

'Absorption Engaged; Evolution Successful.'

Oh Joy!