5

"That's because it is going to change," I cocked my head to the side, "She told me it would."

"Who's she?" Jacob asked.

"It doesn't matter," I let my lip drop as I dropped my eyes, "She died a long time ago. All that's left of her is an echo."

"Then how is she supposed to tell you anything?" Jacob looked skeptical.

"Beast crystals don't just store mana," I glanced at Snider, "They store knowledge as well. Creatures of the same species can inherit memories, and skills as well. The last dragon queen had the power of the time element. She saw the fall of the dragons long before it came, and she predicted their return as well." I smirked, "Have you ever bet your life on a future you'd never see?"

I let them mull it all over as I laid down, and pretended to sleep. I didn't care to talk to them anymore. Not without getting something to eat or seeing my bonded first. Snider was the only one that seemed to know that I was still awake as they discussed away behind the glass. He was staring at my head while I watched them all with my infrared through my closed eyelids.

They seemed deep in discussion. Snider walked over to the platform, and tapped it twice. I tapped it twice as well. I didn't mind him knowing I was awake. He was one of the only people down here that would be sticking around anyways.

Snider's heart sped up slightly. Apparently he thought this kind of deception was exciting. I didn't have to wait to long before a trolley of meat was rolled in. My eyes opened, and focused on the food. The workers who'd been rolling it in flinched when they saw I was looking at them.

"Relax," Snider had moved over to a desk where he was studying a sample of my blood, "He's not interested in you. Just leave the meat, and run away if you're so scared."

He didn't take his eyes off the sample he was studying. They watched me cautiously as they back out of the room, and rushed out of there. I wrapped my tail around the trolley, and picked it up. Moving it over to my head without disturbing the contents too badly. All the meat on the cart vanished into my mouth a few seconds later.

It felt good to have a full belly. I kept my head up as I inhaled slowly. Then exhaled just as slowly. My lungs released ten times the amount of mana they'd taken in. The mana turned to sparks halfway through the exhale.

If I managed to not think while breathing the mana would remain nothing, but pure mana that was only amplified in quantity.

"Interesting," I smirked.

"What?" Snider asked without looking up from the microscope.

"My lungs amplify the mana in them," I answered willingly, "I'm curious if I can absorb that mana if my core has the room to absorb it."

"Why don't you test it out?" Snider still kept looking into the microscope.

"Most of the things I know how to use mana on are dangerous to release in such a small space," I started tapping my claws on the cement of the platform.

Snider sat back in his chair, "Why don't you shapeshift? I've been wanting to see you do that."

He was right. Why don't I. That was a colossal waste of mana that I could do without causing harm. System did my skill level up?

Physical camouflage skill has evolved into shapeshifting skill. Shapeshifting has a higher mana cost but almost no chance of backlash. Mana cost 40 mana per minute.

Per minute? Yikes. I think my attack spells are cheaper then my shapeshifting skill now. I closed my eyes, and focused on my human form. The speed at which I switched forms caused a vacuum in the spot where I was laying.

I wasn't prepared for the speed at which I changed, and ended up flopping on the ground awkwardly. I was on my feet in two seconds flat, and ready for a fight.

"That was funny to watch," Snider sniggered.

"Ha ha ha," I clapped my hands as I gave him a dirty look, "Done having fun yet?"

"You can't seem to create clothes from nothing," Snider chuckled.

System what all can my shapeshifting skill actually do?

All skills from physical camouflage skill have been absorbed into your shapeshifting skill. You are able to shift freely between all of your available forms. With practice user may even be able to create chimera forms.

Chimera?

Chimera. A creature made up of the parts of two or more different beasts.

This skill was more valuable than I'd originally thought. System can I combine my human form with my original dragon one?

Yes.

Now I just had to figure out how to do it. So many new ideas flowed through my mind.

"Do you want me to borrow some clothes?" I started doing exorcises on the open space of the platform, "I don't really care, but people can be squeamish."

"Your human anatomy is quite accurate," Snider stopped his sniggering to study me.

I was even less bashful then I was before. I messed around with various exorcises. I didn't know what was going to happen in the near future, but I knew that I would manage to survive as long as I listened to the dragon queens advice. My muscles tensed as I thought about what I would do. I didn't know how long I had until I felt that all powerful presence again.

Knowing my luck I'd probably be half dead when it did happen. I didn't know what would happen up until then but it would pay for me to be ready.

"You're not half bad," Snider commented while I was practicing.

"I didn't practice this much just to let the skills go to waste," I'd been practicing for over an hour already, and it was starting to get boring, "Not that you would care that much."