First evolution

I entered my temporary hideout without much fanfare, ready to begin my first Evolution. I headed to the center of the cave, stabbed the ice sword that still had the centaur heart into the ground, and opened up my Quest.

[Quest complete: First Evolution]

[Absorb five lesser soul echoes or higher - completed.]

[Take the heart of an enemy you detest. - completed.]

[Would you like to commence Evolution?]

[Yes/No]

Clicking on Yes, I was engulfed by darkness like that time I tried to rest, but then everything turned dark, and my mental faculties shut. This was different; I was wide awake.

[Choose which soul echo you want to advance your race with.]

[Common soul echo (Outcast Acromantula)]

[Black soul echo (Centaur herd leader)]

'I choose the black soul echo.' Mentally answering that soul was the highest I have; using it for my first Evolution is bound to give me something good.

[Affirmative. First Evolution underway.]

[Consuming frozen centaur heart.]

[Consuming Black soul echo.]

Struck by a sudden tiredness, I couldn't help but close my eyes and fall asleep.

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I was startled awake by a voice next to me; I turned my head towards it to find a centaur staring at me or, instead, behind me...

"Are you listening to me, Cosmes?" The Centaur spoke as if he couldn't see me.

I turned to look behind me to see the Centaur I had killed not even 20 minutes ago...

"What is going on?" I couldn't help but say before realization settled in, and I snapped my fingers. "This must be his memories," I nodded sagely.

"Yes, Paneos, I am listening to you." The Centaur I killed replied back.

So his name was Cosmes, good to know.

"When are you going to challenge Gregeros to replace him as leader? You keep saying soon and soon, but you keep delaying it!" Paneos spoke in a hushed tone.

"Soon, Paneos, Uranus remains dim. Once it brightens, I will challenge Gregeros to lead our colony. Have you forgotten your teachings already?"

"I have not forgotten, but our herd has begun to get restless under his leadership, and I am just worried..."

"There is nothing to worry about, my friend; all will be well. I can feel it!"

Paneos smiled at his teacher and replied, "I shall always follow you, Cosmes. Mark my words!"

Cosmes smiled at his student. "and I thank you for always being by my side."

It's a touching moment between student and teacher, I suppose. Are you trying to guilt-trip me?

The scene faded, and another took its place.

I appeared in what looked like a training ground where Cosmes and Paneos were dueling with swords.

As they clashed, the sound of Cosmes's hooves thundered through the forest, each strike echoing through the canopy. Paneos, with his youthful agility, danced around his teacher's attacks, his hooves pounding a rapid rhythm. However, Paneos's technique had flaws, and his strikes lacked the finesse and control of his master's.

"Your stance is too wide, Paneos," Cosmes boomed, his voice carrying over the din of battle. "It leaves you vulnerable to counterattacks."

With lightning reflexes, Cosmes lunged forward, grazing Paneos's flank with his sword tip. Paneos stumbled, his balance momentarily thrown off.

"Keep your eyes on your opponent," Cosmes continued, his voice calm amidst the chaos. "Anticipate their moves and react accordingly."

Paneos nodded, and his eyes locked with his teacher's. He straightened his stance, and his muscles tensed as he prepared for the following exchange.

The battle resumed with renewed intensity. Paneos's strikes became more precise, and his movements more fluid. Cosmes, sensing his student's progress, pushed him further, unleashing a torrent of attacks that forced Paneos to retreat.

"Don't let him intimidate you," Cosmes urged. "Stand your ground and fight back."

Paneos gritted his teeth and charged forward, raising his sword high. He parried Cosmes's blows with newfound confidence, his hooves pounding the earth in defiance.

As the battle reached its climax, Cosmes delivered a feint that sent Paneos off-balance. With a swift and decisive strike, he disarmed his student, and the blade clattered to the ground.

Paneos stood there, his head bowed in defeat. However, Cosmes's expression held no judgment, only pride.

"Well fought, Paneos," he said. "You have come far in a short time. Remember, true mastery lies not only in skill but also in the ability to adapt and learn from your mistakes."

Paneos looked up at his teacher, his eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Master Cosmes," he said. "I will carry your lessons with me always."

"Now, let us continue," Cosmes boomed at his student, who stood at the ready.

I continued to watch the spar committing every strike, every flaw being corrected, every stance they took, each and every movement to memory.

He might've been my enemy, but I can admit that he is a master swordsman. I will learn all I can from this and adapt it so I can use it.

After watching them spar for what felt like hours, I committed everything to memory so I could train it later, but the scene soon faded away. I found myself in the same training ground but in a different area where the archery stands.

"Steady your aim, young Paneos," Cosmes said, his voice calm and encouraging. "Focus on the target and let your arrow follow your gaze."

Paneos nodded and took a deep breath. He closed one eye and peered down the arrow shaft, aligning it with the center of the target. He released the arrow, and it flew straight and true, hitting the bullseye with a satisfying thud.

"Excellent shot!" Cosmes exclaimed. "You are making progress."

Paneos beamed with pride. He had always admired his master's archery skills, and he was determined to become just as skilled.

They continued their practice, with Cosmes patiently correcting Paneos's mistakes and demonstrating the proper techniques. He showed Paneos how to grip the bow, draw back the string, and release the arrow with a smooth and controlled motion.

As the sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the meadow, Cosmes and Paneos took a break from their practice. They sat down on a grassy knoll and admired the view.

"You have come a long way, young Paneos," Cosmes said. "With continued practice and dedication, you will become a master archer in your own right."

Paneos smiled. "Thank you, Master Cosmes. I am grateful for your guidance and support."

"You are most welcome, my apprentice," Cosmes replied.

The scene faded away, and I found myself elsewhere.

This time, it was in a clearing with a clear view of the stars with the duo of master and student Cosmes and Paneos.

"Tonight, my young apprentice," Cosmes began, his voice soft and resonant. "We embark on a journey through the cosmos. We shall explore the depths of Centauri astrology, a sacred tradition passed down through generations of our kind."

Paneos listened intently, his mind eager to absorb the wisdom of his master. He had always been fascinated by the stars, their twinkling lights beckoning him to unravel their mysteries.

"As you know," Cosmes continued, "the centaurs have a deep connection to the celestial realm. We believe that the stars and planets exert a profound influence on our lives, shaping our destinies and guiding our paths."

Cosmes pointed to a constellation that resembled a majestic centaur, its hooves galloping across the heavens. "This is Centaurus, the constellation that bears our name. It is said that Centaurus represents the wisdom and knowledge that we centaurs possess."

Paneos nodded, his eyes fixed upon the celestial Centaur. He felt a surge of pride and kinship with the constellation that symbolized his people.

"Each star and planet," Cosmes explained, "has its own unique energy and symbolism. By studying their positions and movements, we can gain insights into our own lives and the world around us."

"Master Cosmes," Paneos asked, his voice filled with wonder, "how can we tap into the power of the stars? How can we use their wisdom to guide our lives?"

Cosmes smiled. "My young apprentice," he replied, "the key lies in meditation and contemplation. By opening our minds and hearts to the cosmos, we can receive its guidance and insights."

The scene soon faded away, and now I had a keen understanding of the cosmos, neat.

Everything faded to darkness, and I felt that tiredness wash over me again and closed my eyes.

-------------------

The darkness around me began to recede, and the cave came into view again.

Revealing my newly evolved form, I felt four times more powerful than before. My magic reserves and my magic power have increased dramatically. My senses were heightened.

I wasn't a nobody anymore. If I had to rate myself from before to after, before I was an utter novice fumbling around, and now I felt like a full-fledged adept mage, but that is only in terms of power; an adept mage would see me as an annoying foe that will still destroy me in the end.

[Evolution complete!]

[Race: Wraith]

[New skill gained]

[Spectral Possession (Active): allows a Wraith to possess a living body, granting them access to the host's skills and memories by passively absorbing their soul echoes and inserting your soul in its stead. They will perish as soon as you leave their bodies.]

[Skill upgrade: Essence Absorption (Passive) -> Essence Absorption (Passive/Active) Essence Absorption (Passive): The ability to absorb the soul echoes of others, whether they be wizards, witches, Inferi, or even other ghosts. Soul echoes may provide memories, instincts, and/or skill gain.

Passive absorption of the soul echoes of nearby dead.

Active absorption is only available when a being is possessed to forcefully extract all their knowledge and skills, leaving them an empty husk.]

[New magic branch unlocked: Curse Magic]

[Curse Magic (Novice): By infusing Runes into objects, air, and or people, it will do curses you specify them to do with the conditions you set them to be.]

So, by becoming a Wraith, I can now possess people who will turn into host bodies for me while I'm the very helpful parasite that grants them all their gullible wishes. I'm turning more into a dark lord by the minute. Marvelous....

This new Curse Magic was interesting. It lets me write runes with specific instructions and conditions on any surface, and it will occur as long as I can power it and it isn't resisted.

For example, if I write the runes for pain and say person A will feel it at said time and place, he will feel pain like no other whenever he does a specific action I specified in my rune conditions.

An effect of that magnitude will require a lot of magic, and the person's strength also plays a role. They can be too strong for the curse to take. On the other hand, if the curse is cast but without enough magic, the person affected's magic will shrug it off.

It's pretty interesting overall. Right now, I can't do crazy stuff like write the rune for death and make someone die. That is beyond me, but I could do it on weak beings.

But its magic consumption is pretty crazy, even on weak beings, if I use the death rune since my mastery of the magic itself is pretty low right now.

But I can do things like infuse pain, trip them, make them dizzy, paralyze someone, damage someone's vitality so they can grow sick, etc., small things.

These Curse effects will only work if the person's magic is too weak to resist the curses I'm casting on them. Of course, Nothing is unstoppable or infallible.

[Skills gained from consuming the heart and Black Soul echo from (Centaur Cosmes)]

[Swordsmanship (Apprentice): You have learned the basics of sword fighting and can now wield a blade with some proficiency. You can perform basic attacks and blocks, but your technique is still rough.]

[Archery (Apprentice): You have begun to learn the basics of archery and can now wield a bow and arrow with some proficiency. You can fire arrows with accuracy at short to medium range and have a basic understanding of how to use different types of arrows for different purposes.]

[Magic subclass: Astrology (Apprentice): You have begun to learn the basics of astrology and can now use the stars to guide your actions. You can cast simple spells that draw on the power of the celestial bodies and have a basic understanding of the astrological signs and their effects.]

These new skills will benefit me greatly, and I can't wait to start training them all!

Smiling at my progress in such a short time, I swipe away the system windows. 

I need to find out which timeline I am in. The fastest way to do that is to go to Diagon Alley. No one will comment on why there's a ghost there. 

The only issue is that I'll have to fly all the way over there. Well, nothing ventured, nothing gained, I suppose.

Stepping out of the cave, I levitated and headed towards the Hogsmeade station, following the tracks to King Cross and, from there, Diagon Alley.

Arriving at the tracks, I focused my Telekinesis on myself to boost my speed and arrive at Diagon Alley as soon as possible.

When the telekinetic blast was released, I soared through the skies at speeds I could never reach with my own speed, which also increased dramatically with my evolution. Without the telekinetic blasts boosting me, I was moving at a respectable 150 mph, but with the telekinetic blast boosts, I was going closer to 240 mph.

Letting out my inner speed maniac from time to time is enjoyable.

A wide smile beamed on my face. The tutorial is over, and now the real game begins...

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