∼ The Catalyst of Curiosity ∼

Chapter - 029

The wagon rumbled as it was pulled along the Iron Road, its cloth canopy doing little for privacy as long furrows had been torn in the fabric from the attack last night. Inside, Aria sat cross-legged, an impling in her lap. Eric sat resting against the other side of the wagon atop sacks of wheat and grain, sleeping his woe away.

He was quite out of it as the healing that Aria had done in secrecy had taken a toll on the young man. But he was as right as rain, nonetheless - his insides no longer a mush from being crushed under the oversized monster.

Like Aria, Nyx stared with a distant gaze - his focus on the screens in his mind displaying his single-handed and valiant exploits during the monster attack.

[LVL: 8 - Lesser Reaver has been slain]

[You receive 58 points of experience for the kill]

[LVL: 15 - Greater "Alpha" Reaver has been slain]

[You receive 202 points of experience for the contribution]

Congratulations! You have accrued enough experience to gain a level!

LVL: 7 → 8

As an Impling "Minor Demon", you receive one point in Intelligence and one additional unallocated attribute point per level.

As a Warlock, you receive one point in Intelligence and one additional unallocated attribute point per level.

∼[Cognitive comprehension... adequate!]∼

[You have two unallocated attribute points, spend them before a week, or they will be automatically assigned.]

As always, the level up had been a refreshing surge of power that saturated the demon's mind. Though, something was about the screens. Sure he could understand them more clearly now, however, he also realized that this level up felt a little lackluster to his previous ones.

Pulling up his status, the demon tried to make heads and tails about it. "Codex!"

Status Information

Attributes Name Nyx Health 12/12 STR 7 END 2 Race Impling Stamina 4/5 DEX 4 INT 18 ⇒ 20 Level 8 - (2%) Mana 1/3 VIT 3 CHR 2 Class Main-Class Warlock Rank Apprentice Grade Rare Sub-Class None Rank None Grade None Traits Fire Resistance - (Racial), Mark of Pride - (Demonism) Titles None Skills Demon Bolt - LVL: (2) Masteries Proficiencies

Techniques Demonology - LVL: (5), Mana Manipulation - LVL: (1), Words of Power - LVL: (1) None

He knew there was something more... just at the edge of his mind. As if it simply awaited his guidance. Feeling around, Nyx finally grasped what it was missing.

[You have two unallocated attribute points]

He could alter himself now, on his own accord!

But what should he improve...? Nyx did not need to ponder long, as the obvious came to mind.

He was the strongest of implings, and therefore nothing was going to change that!

[Are you sure you wish to allocate two points of unallocated attribute points to Strength?]

"Stupid screen, of course!"

[You have assigned two attribute points in Strength]

As strength surged, his body becoming stronger yet, Nyx reveled in the sensation he knew would continue on for at least a couple of hours as his body adapted.

Noting Nyx's odd behavior, and the fact that his musculature was changing before her very eyes, Aria finally spoke. "Did you level up?"

Nyx laughed maniacally, flexing his arms that were arguably still rather spindly. Aria made a display of mock awe, to which the impling took as sheer astonishment and reverence from her. Of course, who wouldn't be wowed in the face of his might?

The line of her mouth quirking, Aria tilted her head. "You know, strength is not very useful for you. Intelligence will prove much more beneficial with your magic..."

"Nyx is strongest; stupid human not understands," Nyx clarified simply.

Blinking rapidly at the demon, Aria was surprised at the unexpected sentence. Not of what it contained, but the fact that it had been a whole sentence. So far, Nyx had only spoken in words and combinations - nothing like this. It would appear that his mind is growing, and fast at that. Especially considering implings before they become imps should barely be more intelligent than a very smart dog.

That made her wonder; "Just how far is Nyx from evolving?

"Nyx, what is your level?" She asked the demon that had gone back to posturing with its new muscle.

Looking rather smug, the prideful demon proclaimed his awe-inspiring number. "Eight!" As he said it, he held up his fingers as if to punctuate, though he didn't realize he was holding up only seven...

Guess he still needed more experience with numbers.

"So, two levels more, and you achieve your next evolution... but... will you also unlock the rest of your class upon reaching level ten?" Aria muttered, more to herself than the demon who seemed rather nonplussed at the things she was mumbling.

But oh well, humans were humans - not much one could do about that. Nyx went back to admiring himself, and so went the days from there.

As they traveled, Aria grew ever more unrestful; one of the culprits of her restlessness was Boram.

His leg was broken and his shoulder fractured from the tussle with the alpha reaver - looking to be spelling up an infection to boot. Yet Aria could not help. Well... she could, but Eric forbade her. There was no risk to the man's life, and he would be treated at the first settlement they came across. But there was the possibility of permanent injury. Even the idea of letting that happen was an anathema to a healer such as herself, not to mention her unnaturally severe empathy.

Yet Eric was convincing. "We've already revealed you as a warlock, I can't imagine the attention it would attract if people also knew you were a healer." He kept explaining whenever the troubled girl would protest.

Luckily, none of the other men still drawing breath had any mortal wounds - as most who had been unfortunate enough to be touched by the blade of a reaver, was already long dead. So Aria did not need to deal with any dilemma of letting someone die to preserve her secret.

The other thing that had been taking up her time in these monotonous travels, was training.

Aria had taken upon herself to teach Nyx everything, helping him understand the world, the Codex, and helping him by training and honing his skills as the curiosity of Nyx and his fused evolution-class system was eating her attention up.

"Truly, what would happen when he reached level ten?" She could not fathom a sure answer, which only fanned the fires of her interest and egged her on to have the demon evolve as soon as possible.

During their journey down the rest of the Iron Road, until they finally departed the grey strip to continue down towards the Spine of Argon, Nyx had gained not only another point of mana but also a skill level up!

[Through dedication and hard work, your mind has expanded, and your reservoir with it]

[+1 to mana]

[Congratulations, Demon Bolt has leveled up from 2 ⇒ 3]

[+5% to base damage, +5% to base accuracy]

[You receive 15 points of experience for skill increase]

Not only was the prospect of Nyx absorbing everything Aria could throw at him tantalizing, but the realization that they were less than a week away from their destination was also almost something to celebrate.