“Right, so, for this next bit, I need you to go into a bit of a meditative trance. Do you know how to do that?”

I looked at the tiny dryad form that hung from my neck.

“No.”

She rolled her eyes. “You know how you usually go to sleep after a big, new meal? Try to do the same thing, but don’t let yourself fall asleep. Relax, but stay focused.”

I stared at the dryad again, and briefly contemplated flicking her diminutive form to the ground.

“Relax, but focus. Sleep, but remain awake. Warm, but cold. Wide, but narrow. Such wisdom is only to be expected from a plant.”

The tiny plant spirit glared at me. “Sit. Close your eyes, relax your body. Keep your mind alert and focused.” She mimicked the position she wanted me to take and muttered to herself under her breath. “Just what did he eat to gain the ability to sass me? Not cute at all.”

I sat on the ground, and roughly copied the dryad’s pose, crossing my legs and resting my hands on my knees. I closed my eyes and forced my thoughts to still, and slowly released the tension in my body. As I did, I could feel my usually tight control over my aura be released. I’d become a beacon of magic aura, and nearly everything would be able to sense my presence until I reined it back in.

“Oh my, you’ve really packed away quite a bit of power, haven’t you? Right, well, keep relaxing and try to focus on the image of the thunder drakes you consumed earlier. Examine that image in your mind to the exclusion of all else, and pick it apart. Figure out what made it what it was. Strip away the parts you understand, piece by piece, until you’ve comprehended it in its entirety.”

I followed Dendra’s instructions. In my mind’s eye, I saw the adult female thunder drake and the three younglings. I examined them from every angle, burning it all into my memory. Once I had memorized their form, I mentally reached out and touched the images. I could feel the rough scales beneath my hand as I imagined running my hand along the flank of the adult, feel its warmth and the slight expansion and contraction of its chest as it breathed.

This was quite fascinating and all, but I couldn’t quite figure out how I was supposed to do what Dendra wanted me to do. How would I be able to comprehend what makes a living creature how it is? How would I be able to figure out the mechanisms that made it tick? I’m a chimera, not some kind of magical biologist!

Ah. That must be it. I am a chimera. Such an obvious answer makes the questions seem foolish. I must simply do what my kind does. Eat.

I began with the adult. This time, the feast was far less messy. I did not even need to bring the parts of the thunder drake to my mouth. I just touched them, and willed them to be consumed. I began with its scales. The darker hued ones were actually quite different to the whitish silver ones, primarily in how they interacted with electricity. The darker scales were actually quite difficult for electricity to pass through. They acted as an insulator, I believe the term is called. The lighter scales instead acted as a conductor, easily allowing the current to pass through them.

Feeling like I understood the scales enough for now, I willed the rest away, and turned my interest to the wings. The membranes were normal enough, not too different from my own wing membranes in my flying form. However, the spines in those fin-like wings were rather interesting. They were highly conductive, and contained specialized cells which used the beast’s magical energy to generate an electric field that caused air to pass under the wings. I supposed that this was what allowed the odd looking wings to keep them aloft.

I devoured the wings, and moved on. The muscles were nothing special, so I quickly stripped them away. Its flanks, where it produced its lightning attack were of interest though. They, like the wing spines, generated electricity using the beast’s magic aura. However, these did so with much greater potency.

I continued to consume the mental construct. Little else was of interest, except for the two stubby little horns on the head, which turned out to be sensory organs, capable of picking up on electric fields.

Once I’d finished, I repeated the process with the immature specimens. Although I did not learn anything new, my understanding of the creatures deepened. Then I brought myself back to the surface, opened my eyes and spoke to Dendra. “Done, what now?”

“Now, you need to focus on how to integrate the traits you want into yourself. I imagine this should be somewhat similar to how you make yourself change forms. Just try to visualize the changes you want and will it to work. It might help if you go back into the meditative state again.”

I grunted assent, and did as she suggested.

I sank back down into the recesses of my mind, focusing now on my body, trying to visualize my form. This was a bit difficult. To me, the image of my form was misty and indistinct. I’d never consciously dwelled on my appearance before. I concentrated, willing the image to clarify and come into focus.

Still, it refused to become clear and distinct. It just wasn’t working.

No, this type of visualization didn’t seem to be the key here. I dug into my memories, recalling the first time I changed into my flying form. It hadn’t been my own form that was the focus of my will at the time, so much as it was what I wanted to be able to do.

I seized upon this method, and began to focus on a series of images: lightning arcing from my claws, my hide shrugging off lightning, sensing the currents of electricity. As I continued to conjure these images, I began to feel a shift within me. I persisted until the shifting sensation subsided, then pulled myself out of my meditation.

I opened my eyes and stood up.

“Well? Did it work? I wanna see!”

I answered Dendra with action. I held my hands out and focused. I could sense the charge building up, feeling like it wanted to burst forth from my hands. Then I released it, and a thin line of blue-white arced out and struck the ground several feet away, accompanied by a loud cracking snap of a sound that echoed through the trees.

Dendra squealed and clapped her hands, and babbled appreciative words which I ignored.

I would need a lot of practice, and would probably need to eat several more thunder drakes, but I felt confident that in time, I’d master this new power and truly make it my own. Once I did, I might even be able to consider hunting the beasts higher up in the peaks of the mountains. Especially if I also learned the magic of the humans.