Interlude: The Adventurous Mouse

When the first Magic Beast of the dungeon appeared, the first sound it let out wasn't a roar of dominance, but a squeal, one filled with joy and thankfulness. As the Heart Core of the rather small beast formed, its instincts changed and became something more: Thoughts.

And when the reverberating voice of the Great One sounded in its mind, leaving a mark and declaring the name of the creature, which was a small mouse, it, no, he understood.

'I... Am... Remy!'

Remy awoke from the slumber of oblivious instinct, ascending further than it probably ever would otherwise. And now, staring upon the walls of dirt of his little burrow with a far clearer mind than before, he recognized his previous inferiority.

Although he didn't know much, he knew that the Great One was mighty, and was the one to thank for the clarity of the mind.

Even in the blurry memories of the past, Remy seemed to remember a moment of absolute fear and then... Nothingness. However, as he returned to the light, the voice of the Great One spoke out words that were too profound for him to comprehend. Still, now Remy knew that he was pulled out of the Ever-dark by the Creator-Master.

And now he felt the connection to everything around him, feeling other lesser ones, who, just like him until recently, wandered on their basic instincts.

As for him, not only was his mind ascended by the grace of the Great One, but Remy also felt a force contained within himself, ready to be used, an unfamiliar instinct tugging on it, begging for it to be used.

Upon doing so, Remy felt something flow out from his chest and spread all around his body, then seeping into the ground. Then he felt a connection to the ground, and following his thought, a claw made of dirt erupted, piercing out, its power like that of a beast he once ran away from, for it too erupted from underground.

'This is... A gift-blessing by Great-Master!'

Unfamiliar with thinking, Remy's thoughts were rather slow, but each one was sharper and more coherent than the previous.

The ascended mouse kept using his power, being in wonder of his newfound might. Eventually, he managed to even make the earth-claws shoot out of the ground in a certain direction, his inspiration this time was a plant which once fired its thorns at him, wounding him greatly at that time.

Eventually, though, he felt an empty feeling in his chest, and upon trying to draw on that blessing more, Remy found out that he couldn't, feeling excruciating pain instead, causing him to curl up with a squeal.

After some time had passed, the pain went away, but Remy didn't move, afraid that the Creator-Master had taken away the blessing because Remy was too weak for it.

Eventually, though, he felt warmth return gradually, being a fraction of what it once was, but growing back steadily.

Relieved at the fact that he wasn't abandoned, he fell into deep sleep.

Upon awakening once again, Remy felt hunger, which caused him to set out of his burrow in search of food. What greeted his sight was a small stream of water flowing not far away, but Remy was looking in astonishment at what greeted his sight.

What he previously considered either simply some kind of an obstacle or a place to take shelter under, now turned out to be a towering giant of impossible size, others of its kind stretching upward nearby as well.

Up above they turned from brown to green, their hairs spreading out and producing some kind of quiet sound as they moved around. Terrified, Remy froze immediately. However, after remaining so for a good minute, those giants didn't move or attack him, just like before. It also caused Remy to think about whether they had ever moved, and he didn't think so at least.

So Remy continued his journey, taking a sip from the flowing water before setting out to explore where he lived with his new mind.

At first, he tried to find where the blue glow was coming from, as it seemed to shine from one direction. He found a place he seemed to recognize, a grey... Giant? Stood, and from the middle of it, the light shone. Remy was forced to soon move away, however, as there were other beasts gathered there, which now gazed towards him with hostility.

Remy retreated while feeling bitter. Although he was blessed and ascended, and they were of lesser minds, their forms were greater than his, stronger than him.

This, however, caused a determination to ignite within Remy, determination to make the most of the blessing given to him, and to make the Great One proud!

As such, in the following times, the little mouse studied all it came across with a curious eye. He went everywhere around, finding out what lay around him. When he eventually came across a place where the light shone no longer, he explored it with ever-greater curiosity.

That lasted until he was almost eaten by a big eight-legged creature, only surviving thanks to piercing it with an earthen claw, curiosity giving way to caution. Remy also learned to hide in the darkness and move slowly, sometimes even attacking unnoticed. He learned to hunt properly, not just scavenging for seeds and other kinds of feed.

This also caused him to gradually overcome his newfound fear of the place where the eight-legged creatures dwelled, often hunting them in turn due to the grudge he now had against them.

As such he gradually climbed the food chain, far surpassing his former position. With earth erupting under his command, and him hiding in the shadows, he was a hunter, not prey.

After finding more uses for his power, such as making the earth turn muddy under his opponent's feet, he began to hunt even those bigger and stronger than him. He decided that his mind was also a strength, and a strong body didn't guarantee victory.

With such thoughts, he once tried attacking a boar that he often ran away from. As a result of going into that battle with no other preparation than his confidence, Remy lost after giving some injuries to the boar but being injured himself in turn.

This encounter, in which boar often brute-forced its way through the mud he created, spikes created from the earth often shattering on its hide, taught Remy that sometimes the body could overpower the mind.

Still, he didn't give up, and instead thought that he could simply improve his body and mind as well. As such, he hunted and consumed, growing stronger and stronger, the amount of power he could pull from within gradually increasing as well.

With the newfound strength, he once again challenged the boar, but this time Remy was faster and stronger as well. The battle ended in his victory at the cost of a few wounds, proving that although he grew stronger, the boar was growing stronger as well. As such, Remy became determined to stay strong and he hoped to never disappoint his creator.

But this also caused him to remember how he felt the Creator's Breath gather in the tunnel that led above, somewhere he didn't really like to be, as he felt further from the Great One than where he was currently.

Back then he was focused on hunting and furthering his own abilities rather than the exploration of what lay beyond his immediate surroundings. Now that he achieved his short-term goal, however, Remy now wanted to check what had attracted the Creator's attention.

Upon reaching the tunnel, Remy stepped in apprehensively, before cautiously beginning the ascent upwards. Soon enough he emerged in an open space, though much smaller than the one he lived in, with light shining from above instead of embedded in the middle of a giant piece of rock, which Remy found out wasn't a living giant at all.

What made him feel curious the most though, was a feeling of connection leading somewhere to the side, just like how he vaguely felt those with lesser minds, but this connection was... Greater.

Following it, an opening in the rock came into view, from where Remy felt a strong sense of danger, greater than even the depths of the no-light place, where he didn't dare venture.

But the connection led there, and Remy simply couldn't resist his own curiosity.

However, he was forced to freeze, as two glints of light shone from within the dark, locking onto him. Remy felt his blood run cold, remembering the moment when he was pulled into the Ever-Dark.

A great beast of white walked out of the opening, the bright eyes of it peering into Remy. Just as it seemed about to lunge at him, it stopped.

Remy felt an unfamiliar presence at the edge of his mind, before a voice, or rather a series of intents and images mixed with a voice, sounded within his mind.

'Who. You. Intruder. Mark of. Strong.'

Remy understood only part of it, being more bewildered how another beast spoke like the Great One. Although compared to the overwhelming presence of the Creator-Master, this beast spoke in a much more unfocused and unclear way.

However, Remy wasn't given much time to ponder, as the beast continued its approach due to a lack of an answer.

'Answer!'

Flinching at the growing hostility and the threat of impending doom, Remy tried to pull through the connection between them, finally understanding that this beast- no, ascended was blessed by the Great One as well.

'I am the blessed of the Great One, same as you.'

The white colossus halted, tilting its head, clearly not having expected a proper response. Then, it sent a question through the connection.

'Who? Great... One?'

Remy then tried to explain how the Great One is the one who gave them their blessings, the one who watches, and the one who creates.

At first, the ascended beast didn't seem to understand, clearly confused, before it finally realized that the 'Strong' it talked about was the 'Great One'. The further exchange then revealed that Tag, which was the name given to him by the creator, also sensed Remy's strengthened link, and as such was rather wary, and didn't approach until Remy came too close.

Remy also got to know that Tag had a partner, who often preferred to stay in the dark, and she was named Nacht. Another curious detail was that the Great One called them both 'wolves', which seemed to be some other kind of name. Remy wondered what other names he had as well.

Remy was pleasantly surprised by the fact that he found other ascended creatures, and thanks to the link shared between them, strengthened by the fact that both Remy and Tag had names, he was excited that he found someone to 'talk' to. Although Tag was a bit better in that thanks to the fact that he had a partner.

Eventually, though, Remy returned to where he came from, not wanting to test the limits of the patience of the wolf. Still, the fact that there were other ascended creatures excited him greatly, causing him to set out on a search for them after a rest.

Remy scoured the whole 'forest', which he found out the name of when the Creator's thoughts echoed here along with his presence. It seemed that due to the Creator giving Remy a name, Remy seemed to sense his presence, and along with it, his thoughts. But Remy couldn't try and listen to them for too long, as his feeble mind grew overwhelmed by the Great One rather quickly.

Still, amidst the 'trees' and 'rocks', everywhere along the 'stream' of 'water', he didn't sense anything like a connection similar to Tag's.

So, apprehensively, he decided to go deeper. Remy still had a remnant fear of the place below, as one time, before his ascension, he remembered the time when he was caught by a giant predator and toyed with as it flung him around and flipped him just for the sake of it, letting him go for some reason afterward.

This left behind a lingering fear which caused him to never venture down there again. But his search prevailed over his fear. Following the Creator's Breath, he went where it was even more prevalent, all while either scaring away or avoiding predators.

As he drew closer, he sensed a familiar kind of connection, signifying an ascended one nearby.

Emerging from the undergrowth, he saw a herd of large creatures staying in a clear patch of land, the connection leading to the biggest of them. That creature had a strong sense of power around it, and Remy felt greater danger from it than he did from Tag.

At the same time, the ascended beast turned its head toward him, clearly sensing him as well. This time Remy initiated the connection upon sensing the wary mood of it and witnessing power course through the... 'Horns' on top of its head.

'Calm your anger, fellow Blessed. I mean no harm to you... Or your herd.'

The arcs of power died down, and soon Remy once again felt the connection tug at his mind, this time a clear voice and intent rang out.

'Curious. This is the first time this one feels another speak other than the Protector.'

'Of course, for few are blessed by the Great One. I was given the name 'Remy', may I ask yours?'

'Name? Ah. The Protector often calls this one 'Lorn'. The Protector said that the meaning of this name holds power and sharpness.'

Another conversation soon followed. It was much easier, as the mind of Lorn seemed to be sharper than that of Tag. Remy understood the spoken meaning much easier, and as such got to know much more, some of which shocked him.

'You were here before the Great Burrow was dug? But why then are you still this far away from the Great One? Why not go deeper?'

'This one is not worthy. Not strong enough.'

'But how? You are by far the strongest I have seen!'

'This one was bested by a stronger one. The strong one went below, this one can feel them below. They are stronger than me still. This one will stay here and guard one's herd.'

This way Remy found out that an even stronger being lives below, his apprehension returning once again. If he went below, what if the ascended one there wasn't as amicable? Wouldn't he be killed instantly? Such thoughts caused him to delay his descent, as he wouldn't go down without greater strength.

The following times were once again filled with the pursuit of strength. Remy furthered his control over his blessing, the power, and flexibility over his gift becoming ever greater.

He also sometimes visited both Tag and Lorn, who both preferred to stay where they were, not wandering like he was. One day, however, his visit to Tag was interrupted by an unexpected factor.

The air in the Tag's 'room' was filled with the smell of blood and battle, a rather familiar smell to Remy.

Worried for his fellow Blessed, Remy hurried along towards the dwelling of Tag's, only to find him staring in at light filled with the Creator's presence, causing Remy to stop at a distance. From this light Nacht emerged, Tag's partner who he saw once or twice during his visits. Soon after her appearance, Great One's presence disappeared. Remy then worked up the courage to ask Tag what happened.

Although the wolf looked tired and also rather annoyed at the interruption what Remy then got to know was a reunion. As for the reason for it, it turned out that Nacht had been killed.

Although thanks to the Creator's grace she was brought back from the Ever-Dark, the fact remained that something strong enough to kill her came down here. Tag then told Remy of strange invaders walking on two limbs, wielding strange and hurtful claws, being fast and nimble.

Although there were only four of them, and they were defeated by Tag and Nacht, they were able to kill Nacht and injure Tag, all while getting away alive.

Remy was startled at such news, as the appearance of such a strong predator never meant something good. His motivation to become stronger was empowered further.

Sometime later, when he was on a regular hunt/training, Remy sensed a disturbance in the forest, coming from the tunnel that came from above. And there, he witnessed them. Walking on two limbs, covered in shining carapace, like an insect. They also seemed to hold sharp claws and other weird things.

There were a lot of them, and they let out various strange sounds between themselves as some form of communication. Remy figured that it may be similar to his link with other Blessed. Those invaders seemed to look everywhere and as they observed the forest, Remy observed them.

He continued to watch how eventually the eight-legged 'spiders' clashed with them, with the invaders winning by fighting in strange ways. Some seemed to be strong and fast, and some even seemed to shoot out their own thorns, bewildering Remy and making him even more wary.

He continued to stalk them from the shadows, following their battles, studying them. What startled him greatly was the fact that none of their minds seemed to be lesser. But however strong they may be, they were no match for the might of those who lived under the Creators' watch.

As some of the creatures died along the way, the remaining ones decided to run away, unaware of the everpresent mouse that stalked them. They then returned and disappeared in the tunnel leading up, where Remy stopped the pursuit.

Remy then felt the connection to Tag that was severed for a time return, the Creator pulling the wolf back from Ever-Dark, so he understood that if Tag couldn't do anything, then he wouldn't be able to either.

Instead, Remy was greatly interested in studying the dead of the invaders closer, he wanted to understand their secrets, perhaps even grasping some for himself.