"Oh, so I'm nothing out of the ordinary," Azra whispered.
[Indeed, you are nothing special.] The system answered amusement evident in its cold robotic voice. [the answer your last question], the system resumed [the reason you are here... is to gather the world fragments]
"Eh, that's it? What even are world fragments?" Azra asked baffled.
[The combined will of all the living entities of any single world forms a planar consciousness...a god or guardian of sorts...that governs the principles of the world and shields it from any invaders. A world fragment, simply put, is the physical manifestation of the planar consciousness.]
So he was supposed to take the thing that kept some boss-level entity alive from it? He could imagine it
Azra: I've come for your fragment.
Planar Consciousness: *Disdainful gaze* *proceeds to swat him to death.*
"Ho...How am I even supposed to get that?"
[Well there are two ways- The first is to gain its approval either by attaining some great achievement or leaving a lasting impression, prompting it to give the fragment willingly. Secondly, you grow strong enough to take it with force.]
"What happens to the world if I take it away?' Azra asked. It seemed that the world fragment, whatever it might be, was pretty important.
[Nothing. As long as the world is inhabited by living beings it will regenerate after a certain period of time]
Azra would have liked a few more answers but the system stayed silent seemingly refusing to answer. That being, the case he shifted his attention to becoming accustomed to his new body, he wasn't human anymore, he was a snake, well something like that anyway. He gave himself a moments pause allowing the reality of the matter to sink in. Honestly, he was not as apprehensive as one was expected to be in such a situation. After the initial shock wore off he found himself actually appreciating the freshness of the situation. He was away from modern life and all the stress it came with. Away from semester exams and hours of research required for assignments. Away from his lonely apartment. Away from...her. This was refreshing. Freeing.
?
Snapping himself out of a daze Azra's first attempt at movement began. At first, he tried dragging his body along with his claws but his arms got tired soon after. Then he performed a weird undulating movement reminiscent of the way a caterpillar moves. So comical was his attempt that the system momentarily broke its silence with a giggle.
Soon enough instinct took over. Starting from his neck, he contracted his muscles, thrusting its body from side to side, creating a series of curves. After doing this he pushed on the ground making use of any resistance point he could find to thrust himself forward using the friction from said points. It took a while but he finally got used to walking...Er...slithering around in his new body.
After getting accustomed to moving in his strange new body Azra decided that it would be best to find somewhere safe to stay...something about the forest, peaceful though it may seem, made him feel uncomfortable...
Grrrrrrrrr.
...or find something to eat; whichever came first.
?
Moments after Azra slithered off into the depths of the forest in search of a place to stay an enormous 'will' arrived in the area he had just left.
Every single living creature in the area froze in utmost terror after feeling the sheer immensity of the consciousness that had descended.
The will converged at a single point drawing 'something' from the air eventually forming a semi-transparent body that faintly resembled a human silhouette. The newly formed 'being' glanced around as if searching for something.
"Hmm...I could have sworn I sensed ethereal lightning". 'It' said. It's booming voice causing the air to tremble.
With that, it slightly raised its arms and muttered a series of strange syllables each growing louder and louder until a grand climax.
Then...silence...
A moment later shining blue particles gathered forming three-dimensional images. In the image was a young and injured slithern in its last struggles. Soon after, as expected it died...
*Phoo*
The 'being' sighed...it was filled with helplessness. Shaking off whatever emotion it had just experienced it nodded, this was normal juvenile creatures hardly survived in this forest.
However, what happened next shook it to the core. A golden bolt of lightning struck the now dead beast and in an instant, all the wounds on its body disappeared as though they were never there, to begin with. And even more shocking was the fact that the little snake-like beast jolted awake moments later like its previous state was a lie.
The 'beings' eyes were filled with confusion, shock and horror...even it could not reproduce the events it had just witnessed. But hidden behind that swirl of emotions was excitement.
Heheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheheh.
'It' laughed. It was a twisted sort of laughter. The way a crazed man might laugh as he reaped the life of another. The way a vile soul might laugh as its sinister plans were put in order. The 'being's' eyes flash with cruelty.
There might be hope for me yet 'It' thought all the while its eyes not leaving the image of the little creature.
Forcing down these emotions 'It' continued to watch the unfolding scene. Much like its own, the little snake's eyes were filled with confusion as though it too questioned the reason behind its continued existence. This only lasted a moment though before it seemed to calm down, hissing silently to itself, after which it glanced around and made its way deeper into the forest.
"Elcilas." the 'being' called out.
"I am here." A voice answered, seemingly from nowhere in particular.
"Keep an eye on that little one." 'It' said before glancing once more in the direction where Azra had gone. And with that 'it' was gone, phasing into particles of light that spread out everywhere.
"Yes, my liege." The voice answered.
The forest returned to normal, however, it wasn't until minutes later that even the most ferocious of the forest's creatures; the ones that hadn't outright died from shock, dared to move.
