Side Story 1: Survival of the Fittest
bySide Story 1: Survival of the Fittest
NYEVETII was scared.
She did not know what being scared meant, or what that feeling even was. But she knew she was scared when she reached the edge of the world.
A dark abyss threatened to swallow her— it pulled at her forever. Her being was tugged, then pressed. She wanted this moment to end, yet it continued.
Her thoughts were clouded in fear. She pleaded for some sort of reprieve. And after an eternity passed, she got it.
—–
Nyevetii woke up to the sound of splashing. She had been… not alive? And now she was.
Existence came and took her like a strong current, pushing her into the waterfall of red against her will. She did not know where she was, just that darkling clouds loomed over her in her little puddle.
The storm continued, a pattering of black precipitation flooding the white landscape around her. The sea built up— the vast ocean of darkness that held her grew bloated. Until finally, she managed to wriggle her way to land.
Nyevetii
Species: [Infant Demon]
Subspecies: [Demon Larva] – Lvl. 1
General Skills:
[Identification] – Lvl. 1
[Racial Skill: Universal Language Comprehension] – Lvl. 1
Stats:
[Available Stat Points: 0]
[Vitality]: 5
[Strength]: 5
[Endurance]: 5
[Wisdom]: 5
[Agility]: 5
Skills:
[Available Skill Points: 0]
[Unused Skill Slot] x5
I am… Nyevetii, she thought to herself. That was… her name! I am Nyevetii!
She excitedly flopped out of the sable water, unsure of what everything else in her head meant, but happy to be herself anyway. The black raindrops covered her body, still falling, but slowly fading. It did not bother Nyevetii. This place— wherever she was— was far better than the place she had been before!
Nyevetii glanced around, finally deciding to take in her surroundings when she spotted the first of the others. Slowly making their way out of the same dark water that held her were a myriad of oddly shaped creatures. They looked like writhing masses of flesh, of different colors but roughly the same oval shape.
She found herself curiously crawling her way towards them. As the first drew itself to land, Nyevetii couldn’t help herself but approach it. She peered at it— peered at it curiously.
It stared back up at her, confused. It had peculiar green eyes and a dark blue body. It did not move when Nyevetii looked at it. Only when she turned away did it pull itself ashore, following her.
Nyevetii moved on from the dark blue thing to a more vibrant, yellow thing with black streaks running through its body. Again, she looked at it casually, and again the thing stopped moving. She moved on after a moment, to the next of the things!
How strange, why are they acting like this?
She wasn’t entirely sure what these things were, although she really wanted to find out. And she eventually got her answer, right as she went up to one of the things with only a single eye. She inspected it, trying to parse what it was—
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1]
Nyevetii jerked back. What? She backed up as the thing— the [Demon Larva]— hauled itself onto the land, undeterred by her presence unlike the others. Watching it make its way up to her, Nyevetii paused to think for a moment. They’re… like me?
She tried to look down at herself— she tried to see what she looked like. And sure enough, her body was just like theirs. She was a [Demon Larva] too.
They were like her. She was like them.
Casting her gaze around, she saw more and more of these things— these creatures like her— pop out of the dark water. They were being birthed, just like her, and had the same Subspecies as her.
Something swelled up inside of Nyevetii. She felt a shiver run through her body— the feeling, the knowing that something else was like her…
It made her excited!
Nyevetii danced around the shore of the black sea, identifying each and every other Demon that made its way up. Each time, she took their information with the same previous excitement, and each time, they produced the same results.
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1]
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1]
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1]
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1]
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1]
And yet, this did not deter Nyevetii in the slightest. She was happy— excited! She had thought that she would return to being alone in that void of nothingness, but now she was free from it and surrounded by others just like her!
This was a wonderful place!
—–
General Skill [Identification] Level Up!
[Identification – Lvl. 1] -> [Identification – Lvl. 2]!
Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!
General Skill [Identification] Level Up!
[Identification – Lvl. 2] -> [Identification – Lvl. 3]!
Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!
General Skill [Identification] Level Up!
[Identification – Lvl. 3] -> [Identification – Lvl. 4]!
Experience is awarded for the leveling of a General Skill!
Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 1] -> [Demon Larva – Lvl. 2]
Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!
Subspecies [Demon Larva] Level Up!
[Demon Larva – Lvl. 2] -> [Demon Larva – Lvl. 3]
Gained 5 Stat Points and 1 Skill Point!
Nyevetii wasn’t sure how much time had passed since the others gathered around her, puzzled by her excited demeanour. But she identified each and every one of them, earning her two whole levels in both her Subspecies and her General Skill!
She distributed her Stats without much thought, and somehow became more. She stretched out the nub-like protrusions that she had just grown as the others gathered around her, mesmerized by the sudden change to her being.
Trying to explain how she leveled without words, she eventually helped a few of them reach a higher level, although most remained stuck at Level 1. Then their journey began!
They travelled through the tumulous landscape, wandering around with the same excitement she felt, surely! The rain continued— until it didn’t. And the rocks pricked at her skin… until she got used to it.
There wasn’t much to see, much to explore. But when she saw something new, she felt the excitement within her return. Apparently, they weren’t the only [Demon Larvae] in this world!
She encountered more— one of them was Level 3, just like her!
It had been scared. Afraid of her. But when she approached it, reaching one of her limbs out. It slowly relaxed.
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It grew out of the rock it was hiding under, and followed her along with the rest of her group. And they pressed on!
Another [Demon Larva], one with light red skin, milled about in the hazy, white sea. But when Nyevetii approached it, it was drawn to her. It followed her, just like everyone else!
There were many others. Of all kinds of shapes and colors. One of them nearly blended in with the white, its silver color too similar to the pure background!
Nyevetii found herself cheerfully approaching each new [Demon Larva] she encountered. They always joined her. They always followed her. It was such a wonderful world, after all.
This place… is paradise! Nyevetii thought to herself as she made her way towards the base of a hill, the other [Demon Larvae] following behind her. There, a large figure blocked the way. At first she had thought it was a rock. But as she got a closer look, she realized it was another [Demon Larva]— Level 5!
It was a welcome surprise.
Nyevetii scuttled up to it without a second thought. After all, why would she think twice about doing what she had done a dozen times before? This was just another [Demon Larva].
It would look back at her as she peers into it, until eventually deciding to join her too! In her journey through this great place. Unlike that terrible place she had been before. The place where she was alone— where time seemed to last for an eternity and a moment at the same time.
She raised a limb and offered it to the large Demon, happy thoughts flying through her head. Her head lost in the sky as the large Demon raised its head. This place was so unlike where she had been before. There were so many things here for her, and it was so wonderful, she would never go back!
Squish.
VULGUS watched as the Level 3 Demon was crushed by the Level 5 Demon. He did not move at first, perplexed at what just happened. What happened to her…? Then a Demon next to him moved— a Level 2 Demon.
She charged with an intensity that drew him forward. Just like how the Level 3 Demon had drawn him from the dark water when he had been about to pull himself ashore. The dark blue skin of Vulgus stood out in the red sky as he threw himself at the Level 5 Demon.
His attack bruised at its skin, leaving marks and swellings. Another two Demons, Level 1 Demons, joined them. The combined attacks of the three pushed the Level 5 Demon back.
The Level 2 Demon rushed forward, radiating an anger that did not need to be said. Her emotions could be felt by Vulgus. And that fueled him. It made him mad too!
And she was crushed.
The Level 5 Demon swiped at Vulgus, battering his body. He flew through the air once more, but this time, nothing more than a broken mess.
The dark blue Demon was squashed and left for dead a moment after.
IGNOM knew the large Demon was trouble the moment he saw it. He wasn’t a fool. He had encountered its kind before. Back when he was with his own companions.
They had been slaughtered, and he somehow escaped then. Only to run into the foolishly chipper Level 3 Demon that suicided into the large Demon. Perhaps he should have felt a sense of loss over her death. But right now, all he could think was to save himself.
He turned and ran. And that was the right move.
Four other foolish Demons attacked the large Demon, only to be killed in mere moments while the rest stared on in shock. Then the shock that held them broke, and they made for a break for it as well.
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