Chapter 9: Harsh Realities

Rihelah's antennae twitched a little as her vision cleared. Familiar surroundings greeted her as she looked around.

The world seems... different, somehow

Her head now hung much closer to the next leaf down, and the entire plant seemed less impressive somehow. She looked at her hind feet, still anchoring her to the plant. They seemed to reflect a bit more light than before.

My legs are greener than before!

She looked around. Why am I clinging to such a small blade of grass? I was sure I picked one that was wide enough to – RIGHT! I evolved! I see, I see!

She stretched her forelegs out in front of her, surprised by the fact that they'd become a brighter shade of green. Each now sported an unfamiliar eye-shaped marking on the inside portion of each large femur containing her primary musculature for restraining prey. On closer inspection she began to marvel at the beauty and intricacy of the marks.

An iridescent, multicolored, eight-pointed star formed the pupil of each eye-like marking. Around that lay a deep black region reminiscent of a starry night with its glittering points that reflected the morning light. The dark outer ring of each spot blended at its edges to the vivid green of her exoskeleton. As Rihelah turned to look at herself, she was stunned by the revelation that her entire body was somehow covered in those tiny, glitter-like reflective bits.

She pulled up her status.

STATUS:

Your Size Class increased from Minuscule to Tiny!

Rihelah

Level 10 Mantid Magus

Unique, Female

1st Instar: 2cm, Tiny

HP: 87/87 (+5HP/min.)

MP: 112/112 (+5MP/min.)

STR 14

AGI 13

INT 36

Special Abilities:

+10% Chitin durability.

Available Magic Schools: Fire, Water.

Minor Magic Crafting: May forge your own spells with proper understanding and mental imagery.

Intimidation: Doubles the effectiveness of your natural threat-display versus creatures up to twice your own level.

Minor Regeneration Rank 5. Effects: +5HP/min. May re-grow lost limbs.

You have 4 available spell slots.

Level up bonus: +3HP, +4MP

2cm long. Damn, I really am tiny!

I wonder what the purpose of this physical appearance is? I'll admit it's striking! Beautiful, even...

However, shouldn't I be a drab color to blend into my surroundings and avoid notice? Being pretty isn't worth it if you're just gonna get eaten!

Maybe this evolution will prove effective at self-defense, but first I need spells!

Right! The magicses!! So exciting!! It's high time I got down to business! Now how do I craft my own spells?

Rihelah waited for a moment in anticipation. And nothing happened.

What? No menu?

No helpful voice chiming in with hints? Really?! Magic status? Magic menu? Spellbook? Spellcrafting menu? Nothing? Hmph!

Open wide the arcane anus of aethereal aptitude? Bah!

What sort of understanding do I require, and what makes a proper mental image?!

How am I supposed to know these things without a little more context? Show mama how to make the magicses, damn you!!

Frustrated by a foreboding sense of impotence within what she felt was her current evolution's greatest area of importance, for a brief moment Rihelah assumed an impressive threat posture, baring her forelegs' new and mesmerizing false eyes toward the universe in general.

Having made her opinion abundantly clear to no-one aside from herself, she stiffly resumed her normal hanging position to pout and ponder her frustrating dilemma.

After a moment she became aware of small flying insects beginning to flit about, eliciting a slight discomfort that welled up within her abdomen.

Ugh! Why must I feel hungry already? Leave me alone, damn you! I'm not in the mood!

-----

[What is that you've brought, Evi? Prey? Now?] Overwhelmed by their race against time to save the human children, Araza's annoyance bled into her tone.

[General, I found this odd creature clinging beneath a blade of grass. Per mother's law I have done no harm before we can determine if it is enkelyn. Its physique suggests it is predatory, though its size is hardly impressive. However, it has grown significantly since I removed it from its perch. Not long ago it was half this size. Your orders?]

[Leave it here and continue your search for Dew's Maven! The lives of the children must be our priority! I will keep watch over this creature. Move!]

Evi dropped the strange little green arthropod near the unconscious humans and bolted away while Araza shook her head. The children's breathing had become labored, both now gurgling slightly on each exhalation. The creature's antennae stirred, and Araza turned herself to face it.

Michael found himself upside down on the ground, and he struggled to gain his feet in a panic.

[If you can speak, make it known. I have little time or patience for distractions!]

[Wait! Who?? Why am I- HOLY SHIT!!] Michael recoiled in horror as he gained his feet and found himself face-to-face with a huge ant.

[There is no need to be obscene, little one. Were you lost? What sort of enkelyn are you? Name?] Araza loomed closer, and Michael shrank away.

[I... You're... not going to eat me, are you?] Michael's long antennae swept backward like the ears of a frightened cat.

[Why would I eat another enkelyn? Do you take me for some kind of savage, little one?] Araza's antennae perked upward when she saw Michael's outline fade against the log's interior behind him. [Oh? So you can make use of druidic camouflage? How fascinating, especially for such a young one. But you have no need to hide from the Nytalis guard.] Araza cocked her head to one side.

Michael found himself at a loss for words, though the huge ant's response did lessen his apprehension slightly.

Camouflage? What is the ant talking ab- Holy hell! Michael held out his right foreleg and noted it was difficult to see, seeming to blur and fade into the background. Its coloration shifted to match what was behind, and the effect was constant, no matter where he held his foreleg or what lay behind, the chitin quickly changed to blend into its surroundings.

Then he noticed movement from the other ants nearby, and heard a wet, rasping sound. One of the ants lit a small flame above its head, providing a touch more light within the hollowed log.

Looking upward, Michael found himself staring at a slightly pudgy human face that seemed as large as a hillside.

A bubble of greenish snot grew and exploded from the huge face's left nostril. He sidestepped the spray in horror, then whirled about in fear when the ant spoke again.

[Your name?] Araza stepped forward and loomed. Their apparent failure to locate the antidote thus far had shortened her temper considerably.

[M- Michael! My name is Michael.] Another bubble of sticky mucus popped behind him, and some of its spatter coated Michael's left compound eye, while a portion stretched down and adhered to three of his palps. He tasted intense, salty wetness.

[AHHH!! No! So gross! Fuck! Fuck! P'toooooo...] Michael bolted away, out the end of the hollow log. He moved too fast to slow down and keep his footing as the surface beneath ended.

While he plummeted toward the ground, vomit streamed out from his mouth, further soiling his palps and sticking to portions of his forelegs.

He landed feet-first upon moonlit leaf-litter and continued to retch.

Araza sighed to herself. A childish reaction to something harmless and easily remedied. Wonderful. Yet another hatchling for us to look after... As if I did not already have enough to worry about! [Charzi! Follow that young enkelyn! Keep it safe from harm!]

One of the nearby ants clinging to the hollow log's ceiling saluted with her right antenna before rushing away after Michael.

[Need water!! God, it's so nasty!]

[This way, little one.] A kindly voice spoke into his mind. Huge mandibles scooped Michael up and he abruptly found himself being carried much faster than his own legs could manage in a new direction.

Gyahh!! Michael stiffened for a moment while the world blurred by. He tried to regain his feet, and fear swelled within him.

He began struggling to free himself, scratching and grasping at anything and everything he could. The mandibles suddenly opened and he found himself plopped gently upon the ground in front of a large puddle nestled between two tall boulders.

[I'll thank you to stop attacking my head with those sharp little legs of yours! Didn't your own mother carry you thus? What's happened to your manners, child??] The huge ant scolded him as she groomed her own face, licking at her front legs and using them to wipe herself down.

Michael wasted no time dunking his own head into the water, and he scrubbed furiously at the mucus with the tiny brushes situated on the inside of each foreleg. [I'm sorry! I've never been grabbed by a gigantic ant before, and that scared the living shit out of me!] Ugh, I can still taste it!!

[Shit can be alive? That's news to me. Human facial fluids are hardly dangerous, and I'm not going to eat you!]

[Please relax, child! You're acting like you've never seen another enkelyn before! My name's Charzi, by the way. Did you hit your head? You told General Araza your name is... Michael?] Charzi rotated her head to and fro upon its axis while finishing her grooming.

Michael continued to scrub at himself, taking special care to flush the sickly saltiness away from his palps. [I uh... Blech! Well, I'm pleased to meet you, Charzi. Yeesh, this tastes awful! Yes, my name is Michael.]

Enkelyn? Maybe that's what sapient insects are called? What the hell is going on here, anyway? Humans stuffed inside a hollow log... I get captured and carried off by terrifying yet supposedly-magnanimous ants, who also just happen to be suspiciously surrounding those same humans... And then I get a mouthful of...

At that thought, punctuated by one last sickly hint of salt washing over one of his palps, Michael's stomach heaved. He convulsed momentarily, emptying another portion of his stomach's contents into the puddle. P'tooooo!

He recoiled, scrambling backward to escape the dark vomit beginning to wash over his palps. He could feel the water's surface tension pull at him strongly before suddenly giving way. He stumbled, collapsing onto the shore, then he scurried toward another spot to continue his washing. The foul flavor of his own vomit formed a new flavor along with the remaining salt.

No!! There's a droplet stuck to my face! Ugh... mantis puke is even worse than the human variety! And now physics are against me just because I'm tiny!

He scraped and flicked away at the droplet, to no avail. I can't... Even...

Surface tension kept it firmly planted upon his mouthparts while his slightly-waxy forelegs only wicked away tiny amounts with each motion.

This is bullshit! I need to dilute this crap! He lurched forward, plunging his head and forelegs into the water once more and eliciting a chuckle from Charzi.

[Your aversion to bodily fluids is rather odd, especially for one whose physique suggests a carnivorous diet.] The ant shook her head, her voice tinged with amusement while she took in his frantic behavior.

[It's true. I'm carnivorous, but that doesn't mean my mouth is some foul protein-dumpster!] Michael finished cleaning the mucus away from his eye at last, then vibrated his forelegs within the water in an effort to remove all traces of it from his body.

Charzi's antennae stretched forward, then elevated slightly as she turned her head directly toward him. [How old are you, little Michael?]

[Let's see. I was born two days ago, I think? Maybe three? Not sure exactly, because I spent some time in torpor.]

The ant shook slightly as her abdomen vibrated. [Your squeamishness hasn't deprived you of your sense of humor! Now tell me truly, how old are you?]

Shit. Of course a newborn wouldn't be able to talk or use telepathy. Normally, anyway. I think? I wonder if there's something different about me relative to other creatures? Maybe now that I can talk with these ants, I can find out.

[I'm 24.] Oh shit. I just blurted out my previous life's age without thinking!

[Auronox be praised! It is impressive that one who has witnessed the light of only 24 days is able to speak so well! Most nymphs take at least 90 days to fully master telepathy!]

She thought I meant... Well, shit. If they master conversation in only 90 days, that probably means our lifespans are brief...

Rihelah's forelegs clamped down much tighter than necessary upon her half-eaten aphid. That ant just plucked the other mantis from its perch and hauled it away! When they do that on Earth it is always because...

Stuffing that thought down, she took another bite. It was him. The mantis I met. I am almost certain of it. It looked like he was preparing to molt, and those huge ants took advantage! Now I will never...

She shook in fear while continuing to chew. The sweetness flooding past her palps was pleasant, but it did little to quell her anxiety. The grim reality of what it meant to be carried away by ants returned, strong enough to stop her powerful urge to feed for a moment.

I don't want to become nourishment for ant larvae! How can I avoid them noticing me? Moreover, how am I supposed to learn any spells? I need a teacher! Or at the very least, access to relevant research materials! I just wish I knew where to begin. To think I'd considered initiating dialogue with those ants!

You are an insect in the wild now, Rihelah. You cannot trust anything. Or anyone...

With that bitter thought, she finished the palatable portions of the aphid and discarded the rest to snatch up another. Damn this infernal, all-consuming hunger! I'd thought my carnal desires as a woman were strong, but this is ridiculous! If mantids truly are sapient here in this world, do I even dare to consider what degree of abject hedonism might be prevalent among their number?

What's it going to be like when I reach maturity and... Yikes! I am not biting off the head of a male no matter what! Never mind that! I am in no way, shape, or form engaging in relations with an insect, even if I am one myself!

I was so busy with my studies and research I didn't even bother to try that as a human! No way in hell am I letting myself get tangled up with-

Shadowy movement from below caught her compound eyes and Rihelah froze. One by one, five huge ants passed silently in and out of view along the ground beneath. Running many times faster than before, each now carried what appeared to be a cutting from some plant. As quickly as they had appeared, the ants were gone. Her confidence shaken from having witnessed another mantis being taken, she remained still for nearly a full minute.

How can such terrifying brutes move so fast without making a sound? Maybe they have access to stealth skills? I suppose that'd be a logical assumption, since I was given a similar choice.

I am a damn fool for having passed on the evolution that had camouflage just because I saw something shiny... I just HAD to have the magicses! Just like in my past life, when I passed on so many opportunities to go see Michael in favor of the career I wanted! And...

And how did all of that work out for me? I never got to see him again... He was the only man who ever... She berated herself, knowing she could never revisit her former life or live it differently.

This is my reality, now. I'm such a fool... I missed out on my only chance at real happiness. I let Michael slip through my grasp. I thought I had plenty of time, but now... Her antennae drooped and her legs felt weak.

She wanted to cry, but her two compound and three simple eyes were simply incapable of tears. That frustrated her even further, and her stomach wrenched. For a few minutes she clung feebly to her perch, feeling helpless. Were she not so famished, the absolute finality of it all might have caused her to vomit.

A light breeze picked up, and Rihelah's antennae caught a strong whiff of the half-eaten prey caught in her forelegs. Her palps twitched, her mandibles suddenly yearning to slice once more into her aphid. Her body responded automatically to that powerful urge by bringing the food to her mouth. And so she continued to eat while wallowing in silent, brutal regret.

Michael stopped trying to dry his forelegs off, standing stock-still when something occurred to him. He turned his head to look at Charzi.

[What happened to those humans in the log? Why are... your people hanging around them?]

[Those human children were poisoned by a Draelid's breath, and we are racing against time to save them. With that in mind... Come now, Michael. You are clean, hydrated, and it is time we returned to the others. No struggling this time!] Charzi approached Michael.

He backed away, antennae sweeping rearward. [I can carry myself just fine, thanks!]

Charzi's antennae stiffened. [You are a strange, brazen little one. It is the safest way for young to be moved. Should you follow behind me, it is possible a predator will rush out to snatch you away. If that happens, you are likely to be grievously harmed or killed before I can react. Is that what you want?] She cocked her head to the side in a manner to match her scolding tone.

[I... Damn it all.] If these ants wanted me dead I would never have awakened in the first place. Well, crap. I suppose it's better to feel a little humiliated than to die. I mean, I did put up with this kind of shit all the time when I was on stage. [Okay.]

Charzi scooped him up as before, her huge serrated mandibles surprisingly gentle as they gripped his thorax. He was whisked away at high speed again, noting the sky had grown overcast. In short order they had arrived back inside that hollowed log.

[...condition seems to have stabilized, but there has been no response from the children as yet, General.] The ant who had spoken sounded stressed while rubbing something held within her mandibles against a human cheek. Mucus had begun to pour out from the nostrils of the closest child. Their breaths were loud and gurgling.

[The poison is being purged from their innards! Keep applying the Maven! Macerate thoroughly before you place it upon their skin! I need veteran workers to bring dried leaves and absorbent moss! Those fluids must be cleaned away! Keep their airways clear!] Araza barked orders to her patrol.

Every single ant including the general was busily crawling over the young humans while chewing or spreading a pungent leaf that reminded Michael of eucalyptus and mint combined.

Charzi released Michael, then hurried to gather something from outside before joining the others.

Michael's eyes strained to view the scene inside the darkness of the hollow log as the cloud cover obscured the moon's light further. But he could tell the ants were completely undeterred.

Hmm. Makes sense. Ants on Earth tend to communicate and navigate via scent and touch. Maybe these enormous ants are able to do that as well. Still, who the hell would ever have thought? Giant, sapient ants helping humans!? That's fucking crazy...

Michael's stomach complained, and his palps twitched. The movement of the ants exerted a magnetic pull upon him for a fraction of a second, his forelegs assuming the optimum position to strike.

He shook his head. The hell is this damned mantis-brain of mine thinking?! Those ants are at least ten times my size! Not to mention, there are dozens of them and ants are social! I wouldn't stand a snowball's chance in hell! On top of that they're sapient! I am absolutely not interested in eating anyone whom I can talk with!

Michael turned toward the exit of the hollow log. Shit. How do I find food with all of this going on, anyway? It would be incredibly shitty of me to interrupt them while they're trying to save those kids.

The size difference between himself and the human children loomed large in his peripheral vision. Fuck, it's insane how massive everything looks and feels when you're an insect!

Salty-smelling clumps of mucus-saturated moss were hauled swiftly away while returning ants continued to soak up the nasal discharge. Michael's antennae caught a faint hint of iron alongside the salt in the humid air. Blood. Damn, I hope that's not a bad sign for those kids.

The moonlight from outside intensified once more, and Michael's eyes were able to discern an orange hue to the mucus being wiped away from the nearest child's nose.

[Keep at it! The poison's thickening effect upon their fluids is weakening! We are making progress!] Araza encouraged.

The nearby unconscious child convulsed suddenly, causing tremors to run through the hollowed log. A loud noise heralded the expulsion of a massive quantity of orange slime from within the clogged sinuses. The ants ducked swiftly and deftly out of the way while Michael scrambled for his life toward the open end of the log.

Fuck! Not again!!

He narrowly avoided the sudden flood issuing forth from within the stricken young human, the spot where he'd been standing overwhelmed less than half a second after he'd vacated.

Araza called out, [That's done it! Cease application of Maven for Leir! Squad two, continue his cleanup! The rest of you focus your efforts upon Fan!]

Michael stopped near the entrance of the log, trying to keep out of the way while remaining far enough from the children to avoid another close shave with the orange, salty, viscous putrescence.

Just a few seconds later the second child had made a similar sound, expelling the majority of her mucosal plug. Within a few minutes both humans had begun to breathe normally.

[The young ones are stable, but the danger has not yet passed. Squad one, make for Nytalis with all haste! Inform Queen Zauna and Lady Sionella of the situation and our location!] Araza's voice entered Michael's head carrying less tension, but her tone was still deadly serious. The most lithe and sleek one-fourth of her subordinates responded immediately, vanishing less than a second after she'd given her orders.

Araza continued, [Squad four will continue clean-up to prevent their airways becoming clogged. Two and three, re-establish our defensive perimeter! We keep them safe until help arrives! Charzi, resume brood-duty.]

Michael was thoroughly impressed with how quickly the ants responded. His troublesome appetite elicited immediate action from him as well. He began following the guard-duty ants outside.

[Just where do you think you are going, little Michael?] Charzi's mandibles scooped him up again.

[I'm extremely hungry. I didn't want to disturb everyone while you were assisting the human children, but I am at the point where I've started to feel weak from lack of sustenance.]

[Not a problem! One moment!] Charzi set him down and began to vomit out a small droplet of something, holding it with her mandibles. An overly-sweet, papaya-like smell assailed his antennae and if Michael's stomach had not already been empty he'd have vomited once again.

You've got to be fucking kidding me. I am NOT drinking ant-puke, no matter how much sugar it might contain! Rather die again than go through something like that!

[Umm... Apologies, but my sense of smell has me recoiling strongly from that. I hope this does not offend, but I am certain I won't be able to eat what you are offering. Unfortunately, my species is strictly carnivorous from the moment we hatch. I need to hunt, or at the very least eat something that's been freshly pre-killed.]

[Ah! Yes, I should have remembered that!] Charzi quickly reabsorbed the droplet and scooped Michael up once again.

She dashed over to Araza and explained the situation. Thus, Michael was left with orders to remain silent and to stay near the ant-general while Charzi dashed off to find him something to eat.

Welp, looks like I get to hurry up and wait. I'd much rather hunt my own food, since I could gain more levels from the combat. Still, this is probably a lot safer, and it's a relief these kids will probably survive.

To Michael's surprise, Charzi quickly returned with an odd, horseshoe-crab shaped arthropod struggling within her mandibles. [Mature leafcrawlers are strong for their size, but possess little ability to fight back. Are you prepared to handle prey of this size, young Michael?]

The tiny captive was approximately half his size and apparently bereft of any serious weaponry. Michael nodded vigorously while responding, [Absolutely! It looks perfect! May I?]

He opened and closed his forelegs rapidly to show his intent, prompting Charzi to release her prisoner. Michael rushed forward and latched onto the creature in one swift motion, but not before its legs had gripped the wood beneath.

While he had a firm grip upon his intended food, the latter exhibited a stronger grip upon the wood below than his second and third pairs of legs could manage. And so it began dragging him slowly and relentlessly across the inside of the hollowed log while his sharp mandibles scraped noisily against its hard carapace.

Well shit! This isn't working out how I'd planned! In that case...

Michael released his grip, striking again from a different angle. Nothing seemed to have changed aside from the location where his mandibles now scraped against the leafcrawler's hard upper carapace. For her part, Charzi looked on with trembling antennae. Her abdomen vibrated in the same manner it had previously when she seemed amused.

Heh. Laugh it up if you must, but I'm not going to be defeated by some... He struck again, feeling the creature recoil as one of his forelegs managed to compress a portion of its underside farther than before. It clamped down upon the hard wood beneath, trapping his foreleg's tibia while Michael continued to squeeze at some hidden weak point. ...clawless land-crab!

[Ah! Perhaps you will manage after all!] Charzi's high voice sang into Michael's head, dripping with amusement.

Michael rolled his eyes inwardly as he worked at the carapace with his mandibles. Nearly a full minute later, he'd finally broken through the tough outer shell. Lacking nourishment after his evolution and following his fits of vomiting, his jaw muscles ached and burned from the effort. But his palps touched delicious lobster-like meat below, sending him into a near trance-like state as the grasping maxillae behind his mandibles began to extricate and excavate the leafcrawler's delectable flesh from within the opening he'd created. A couple minutes later, he felt somewhat rejuvenated. The burning in his muscles subsided a little as his body was once again supplied with nutrients.

As Michael continued to carve away at his prey's tough carapace with his mandibles, an unexpected notification flashed into his vision.

Strength has increased to 19!

Holy shit! Wait, does this mean I can increase my attributes with appropriate training?! I suppose that would make sense! Hey! It does feel a tiny bit easier biting into this thing! I'll be damned! Oh, that's right! I was interrupted via abduction by gigantic ants, and forgot to check my status after my evolution!

STATUS:

Your Size Class increased from Minuscule to Tiny!

Michael

Level 10 Stalking Reaper Mantis

Unique, Male

2nd Instar: 1.9cm, Tiny

HP: 116/116 (+10HP/min.)

MP: 70/70 (+4MP/min.)

STR 19

AGI 23

INT 25

Special Abilities:

+30% Chitin durability.

Available Magic Schools: Spirit.

Improved Pounce: Move forward at 3x your normal speed to attack, up to 2x your own body length. Deals 200% of your normal strike damage to your target upon arrival, doubled on successful sneak attack. Cooldown: 10 seconds.

Camouflage: Become difficult to notice for those lacking improved senses while sneaking or hiding outdoors. Functional while moving.

Minor Regeneration Rank 10. Effects: +10HP/min. May re-grow lost limbs.

You have 1 available spell slot.

Level up bonus: +5HP, +2MP

Hot damn! I'm a hell of a lot stronger than before! Still... He noted the ants still busily carrying out their work, as well the powerful form of Araza, nearly three times Charzi's size.

His attention fell upon the human children, who utterly dwarfed the ants by many orders of magnitude. I've obviously got a long way to go. Not only that, but now it seems I have no choice but to deal with this unfamiliar ant-society. At least there's a chance I can learn from them!

You have defeated Leafcrawler Level 8. Experience Gained.

Are you serious? This tiny tank of an arthropod was only level eight?? I suppose it's not as bad as all that, considering the fact that it didn't manage to do me any harm. Admittedly they do taste amazing and so long as I survive, eventually I will grow strong enough to man-handle them... But man, this leafcrawler was a pain in the ass! She was giggling to herself; I wonder if Charzi grabbed one this size on purpose?

His attention fell upon his appointed guardian, but due to his lack of familiarity with ants, Michael failed to get a read on her body language. A disturbing thought struck him and he stopped chewing for a moment.

Fuck... I hope these ants aren't going to keep me as a captive and work me to death for the sake of their colony... Then again, they worked hard to save the humans, and they don't seem to bear any ill-intent toward me. Heh. I suppose it doesn't really matter at this point. I have delicious food and I gained a point of strength in the process. The progress alone is worth it! For now, at least... Shrugging inwardly while bent down over the back of his meal like some tiny vampire, Michael resumed feeding while Charzi looked on.

Having grown frustrated enough with her bout of self-loathing to fall into workaholic-mode as a means of escape from the mental anguish, Rihelah now brooded upon the most pressing dilemma she had some chance of rectifying.

I can't change the past; it's over and done with. I absolutely must focus upon what I can do right now. I'm a tiny, baby mantis. Thus, baby-steps are appropriate! My evolution, stats, and skills; all have been governed by some sort of video-game-esque system. Thus, shouldn't it follow that magic also falls somewhere within the scope and management of that same system?

Gaining experience for levels obviously comes from defeating opponents. My regeneration skill also seems to increase after healing a certain amount of health. Here's hoping that continues! So how are spells created? Do I need to exercise my mind? Is there some sort of ambient mana that can be harnessed or influenced?

My available elements are fire and water. Fire's probably not something I'll be able to find easily, unless I want to risk being collected by those ants! Nope! Scratch that idea! Perhaps if I find some water I can experiment with that!

So saying to herself, Rihelah noticed numerous tiny dewdrops growing upon the surrounding foliage.

Right! Now, to find out what it takes to work with this!

Two hours later, after having exhausted every logical method she could think of to affect the water with her mind via her own ideas of proper understanding and mental imagery, and despite having gained two points to intelligence from her efforts; Rihelah's antennae drooped in defeat over her utter failure to manipulate H2O at all.

Intelligence has increased to 37!

Intelligence has increased to 38!

This is ridiculous. I tried to affect its temperature via both invigorating and slowing its atomic vibration. Similar attempts with Volume and angular momentum were failures as well. I even reached out in an attempt to find “spirits” hiding within or near these dewdrops! There has to be something I'm missing!

Perhaps I simply need higher intelligence to actually create spells? Exercising my mind is something I have no qualms with, so if that is the case I will know soon enough!

Aagghhh... So frustrating!! What am I supposed to do? Wave my forelegs and antennae around to draw mystic sigils in the air? Good grief, I hope to hell I won't be required to call out flashy titles or inane phrases for each spell after I learn them, in some spectacular-yet-asinine fashion like a shounen-anime protagonist!

I mean, I'd still be happy to have magic at my disposal, but the cringe-factor alone would lay waste to what little remains of my dignity...