6. Evolution

[Ascension Starting]

I was surrounded by darkness. No, that's wrong. Not darkness, but nothingness. Nothing to see, hear, or feel. I didn't even know if I was alive. But I did not panic. Finding a familiarity and calmness to the stillness.

Then something happened

Cards appeared in front of me. Lighting up the nothingness

[Bloodline Awakening]: 4 Bloodlines are available: [Draconic Dominion] [Angelic Descent] [The Holy Draconic] [Base Demonic]

4 of them danced through the air and landed in front of me, turning around; revealing their contents. The first 2 exuded a golden shine. One was a dragon that curled around what looked to be a throne, the other a winged woman that descended from a crack above her.

The third did not shine with light, rather it looked like it was absorbing the light of the golden Dragon and Winged Woman into its misty visage. Consuming all the light in the vicinity, refusing to reflect it. Its form remained in obscurity.

The fourth one I almost did not notice, and I decided to continue doing so. No light, no mystery. Just a rusty copper colour. You could barely make out what looked like a horned man on its worn surface.

Somehow I knew that the cards represented "me", or rather a possible future version of "me". And that I could only choose one of them, sealing my fate. It was something that made me feel anxious. Yet excitement drowned it out. Power stood before me.

I remembered the weakness I felt as I fought against the "beast". Of the patheticness I exuded, and the elation from defeating it. That gratification was the best feeling I had experienced to date. Not that there was much to compare it to besides eating those fruits.

Thus, if these cards could make me more powerful, more "complete", taking this opportunity wasn't really a question right?

Still, there remained a choice to be made.

Only 1, I repeated in my head.

Unconsciously I had raised my hand in the direction of the Golden Dragon. It just felt right. And it looked like the card felt so too. The golden card hovered down before me, acknowledging. As if to say it was the obvious choice. I knew that the dragon best fit. I was drawn to it by instinct. Yet, my eyes only lingered on it for a short while.

Tracing the light as it flowed away from the golden dragon and into the obscured card.

But, I could not help but reach for the mystery card. The presence it gave off was different, but distinctly above the others. Somehow I knew that it was something "greater". It was a risk, but one I was willing to take. Thus I left my fate to chance and a gut feeling, and reached for the card.

Immediately as my fingers touched the surface of the card, it lit up. Setting the nothingness aflame, and banished the aura of obscurity.

A world was born of pure white.

The other 3 cards disappeared, being fully absorbed as only one card remained.

It gave off a radiant hue as a figure finally appeared on its surface as if forced into existence.

A woman with draconic wings, sitting atop a throne, looking down upon the world.

Suddenly the card shrunk and flew into my chest, our essences overlapping.

[Bloodline Awakening]: Complete. 

Bloodline:[None]=>[The Holy Draconic]

15 extra stat points have been awarded.

[Skills] have been awakened: [Sancta Scale Mail] [Heavenly Smite] [Holy fyre]

I felt a change in myself. Not in terms of looks, but something deep inside me felt different.

As my confusion subsided, 3 more cards appeared, in the now white world.

[Sin Evaluation]: 3 Sin requirements have been met [Envy] [Wrath] [Greed]

This batch was a lot easier to choose from.

One was of a raged woman frowning at the world. Green in hue

One was of a scowling face, the hate palpable. Red in hue

One was of a hand grasping at the sky, an eye on its palm. Yellow in hue

I immediately chose the yellow hand. Not even thinking about the consequences.

[Sin Evaluation]: Complete.

Sin:[None]=>[Greed]

Skill Granted: [Greedy Expedite] [Grasp of Luck]

The yellow hand shot into me as a yellow sky grew above. Spreading til it hit the horizon, and my eyes began to glint.

4 more cards appeared.

[Class Inauguration]: 4 Basic Class requirements have been met [Mage] [Worrier] [Monk] [Healer]

An old man with a staff, A young man with a sword and shield in hand, A bald half-naked man, and A robed woman with a staff.

3 of bronze, 1 of silver.

Honestly, I could not help but feel a bit disappointed. Is this all my potential is worth? Still, a choice had to be made.

One might think that the choice was obvious, but I did not feel like choosing the robed woman. Something told me that the "[Healer]" could not fight. It was a "class" meant for others. I wanted something meant for "me". So begrudgingly I had to choose from the bronzes.

My eyes scanned the other 3 cards, landing on the half-naked man.

Absolutely not, I'm too young to be bald!

That only left 2.

Between the old man with a staff and the young man with a sword, the younger one obviously looked stronger, right? Yes, that sounds about right.

Thus I chose the [Warrior]

[Class Inauguration]: Complete

Class:[None]=>[Warrior]

Skill granted:[Slash] [Lesser Vitality] [Weapon Arts]

  [Lesser Vitality] is already possessed, Starts Assimilation

[Lesser Vitality]=>[Enhanced Vitality]

5 extra skill points awarded

The card disappeared and a sword-covered ground blinked into existence.

[Evolution]: 3 Evolution requirements have been met [Draconic Hatchling] [First Ring Angel] [Holy Hatchling] 

My bad luck seems to have disappeared as all the choices in front of me were at least "Silver Rank".

A scaled lizard that had broken away from its prison, a baby with wings, and the lizard again but with wings instead of scales.

I immediately eliminated [First Ring Angel] as an option. Not only did it look weak, but I felt no appeal to it whatsoever.

The hatchling options, however, spoke to me. If not for the fact that they shared my experience in breaking out of prison, they instinctively felt like "me".

Thus my choices were between a [Draconic Hatchling] and a [Holy Hatchling]. They both looked similar, they both "spoke" to me. But they each had different appeals and strengths.

I don't know what had overcome me, but I reached for both. Not content with choosing just one.

They were both certainly "me", therefore I could just become both right?

As my claws touched both of them at the same time, eyes a golden yellow, my entire body revulsed. Not because it was rejecting them. Rather it was inviting them. Greedly absorbing both at the same time. As though they would disappear at a moment's notice. And, it was quite painful.

My body felt like it was about to explode. Having eaten more than its stomach could possibly contain. I knew that at any moment my body would "pop".

Before that could happen a light emerged from my chest, giving off a familiar golden glow. It enveloped the two cards and dragged them back into my chest with it.

The glow spread from my core, covering my entire being, before shooting outwards into the remaining nothingness. Creating a sparkling landscape in its wake.

[Evolution]: Complete

5 status points are rewarded

[Species]: None=>[Heavenly Draconic Hatchling]

Golden wisps flew about. Some rained down on the field of swords, sprouting verdant dandelions on the ground. Others flew up in the sky, collecting in shiny points, lighting up the world.

Skills upgraded: [Slash]=>[Dandelion Sweap], [Grasp of Luck]=>[Reaching for the Stars]

My body was overcome with power before exhaustion hit. I fell to the dandelion-covered ground, sending its papus into the air. Floating over my head; they refused to fall.

I watched the beautiful landscape as my body hit its limit, and I fell into a deep sleep.

As I closed my eyes, I felt as though someone was watching me.

Status:

Level:(1)

Name: ???

Species:(Heavenly Draconic Hatchling)

Bloodline:(The Holy Draconic)

Class: (Warrior)

Sin: (Greed)

Birthplace:(Divine realm, Mortal realm, Demonic realm)

Affinity:(Sancta, Helios, Holy, Fire, Ignis, Spīritus, Arcana)

Status points: (20)

Skill points: (27)

Skills:

Personal skills:

Divinity () 

Mortal climb 

Demonic essence (lesser)

Soul of another world

Weapon arts

Greedy Expedite

Viril Disposition

Combat skills:

Holy magic(lv.1)

Elemental magic(lv.1)

Demonic magic(lv.1)

[Holy fyre] (lv.1)

[Egg cracker] 

[Dandelion Sweap] (Lv.1)

[Reaching for the Stars] (lv.1)

[Enhanced Vitality] (lv.1)

  [Sancta Scale Mail] (lv.1)

[Heavenly Smite] (lv.1)