---Azizos POV

Her Griffon form irritates me, insubordinate and stubborn. For all its power and strength, I no longer wish to tolerate it. Simple. I am her Master, and she is mine to temper and beat into the implement I need.

“I sense your frustration Master, perhaps now is the time to expel her?”

My attention focuses on Nehal. He practice-swings his sword while staring at my Core. When I don’t respond immediately, he decides I need more advice.

“She propels you to anger, she is female, and she is difficult to control. She is not Dungeon.”

Again, a sword swish, following a stance change. A pause, his fingers replay a sequence forming a sign and a ray of cold hits the opposite wall of the Core Room.

I ask myself questions. Would my Dungeon have expanded without her, thereby revealing my purpose? Embraced intruders and created clans to build constructs?

Nehal surprises me. He stands naked, black basalt, her shape, except his interpretation of a male version. He doesn’t realise the evolutions she goes through are permanent, she is unable to return to her original shape, hers is a forward journey.

Next, he subtly reshapes himself into a replica of her.

“I could walk among your servants as her, my powers would impress your denizens and cower Invaders or Questors.”

I am troubled now. For tens of years, Nehal has been content to wait in my Core Room, practice against the shadows and want or need nothing else. Now it seems, he wants to make suggestions! What has changed? Nehal hasn’t met her except in combat – I always find the quickest explanation by blaming her first and then searching for other reasons – he hasn’t interacted with her since. In fact, he cursed her for the loss of his Sword Skill. I check his status – Sword Rank 12 so still some ranks to go, he wouldn’t truly have forgiven her yet. Hmm, perhaps a test?

“Would you be willing to leave the Dungeon to complete Quests?”

Nehal returns to his true shape instantly and is statue still. Did I surprise him?

He swings his downcast head slowly from side to side. He is my creation and for the first time, in forever, fear wafts from him, impossible for him to conceal.

“Return to your training.” I resist the temptation to offer him further advice.

His newfound attitude is … disturbing, there are no individuals in a Dungeon, they … are … all … extensions … of … my … will. She is to blame! Always start with her. The Griffon evolution. I stomp my imaginary foot to the floor.

Defiance, no reasoning, animalistic needs, and a powerful beast attending to its own needs. Individualism!

I ask the System for Living Construct Essence:

{Hominine Essence L10,

Avine Essence L10,

Feline Essence L7+,

Colubrine Essence L4+,

Lacertine Essence L4+,

Draconine Essence L4+,

Canine Essence L0,

Caprine Essence L0}

She continues to harvest essence, while in the Mountains, how I wonder my clever irritating female minion. Never mind for now I have an urgency to evolve her, the Griffon must be gone!

I ask the System for Living Construct Evolutions.

{Hominine Essence L5+, Avine Essence L5+, Feline Essence L5+

Evolutions Available: Manticore, Nemean Lion

Mana: 500

System anomaly detected, Manticore data corrupt, restoring from backup ... Completed.

Special Condition Met – Spellcaster profession

Special Condition Met – Female Evolution

Evolution Available: GynoSphinx

Mana: 2000

Special Condition Met – Healer profession

Evolution Available: Lammasu

Mana: 2000}

I ask the System to explain Manticore again, what did the corruption hide?

{The manticore is a true monster, with a leonine torso and legs, featherless wings, a human head, a tail tipped with iron spikes, and a ravenous appetite for sentient flesh. Standing 2 metres tall at the shoulder, 4 metres in length with a wingspan of 9 metres. Each section of the manticore closely resembles the creature it imitates.}

They can fly! I am inclined to choose evolutions with human heads after the Griffon beast, although “true monster” and “ravenous appetite” suggest its Intelligence is in question or its purpose singularly focused, perhaps like the Griffon. While suspicious about the system corruption it seems for the best, I dismissed it as a choice for the wrong reason previously, perhaps fortuitously.

I ask the System to explain GynoSphinx.

{Gynosphinx is the sole female Sphinx, having a winged lion’s body and human-like facial features. Gynosphinxes are knowledgeable, clever, and wise, speaking their own language and capable of learning others easily. Standing 2.5 metres tall at the shoulder, 4 metres in length with a wingspan of 9 metres.}

“Sole female” seems to suggest there are male versions, which aren’t open to me and never will be given she is the only one cursed with this singular evolution method. I am loathed to evolve her into a female form, especially one which is “knowledgeable, clever and wise”, how intolerable will that be!

I ask the System to explain Lammasu.

{Lammasu have an eagle-winged lion’s body with a human face. Their appearance is regal, compassionate, and beneficent. They communicate in their own tongue and through a limited form of telepathy. Standing 2 metres tall at the shoulder, 3 metres in length with a wingspan of 9 metres.}

The “human face” is not a hominine head, and they are the smallest of the three choices. It is a pity the Lammasu has healing powers instead of the GynoSphinx spellcaster powers. Possibly the Lammasu could heal my denizens when in battle? Interesting …

The mana cost of the GynoSphinx and Lammasu is high, although affordable given my minion’s efforts on the Frigid Lake.

“Master, I will not be able to defend as I can’t fly due to the Restricted Zone and my lack of roaming time. Send your minions quickly!”

Her information is superfluous! I know the limits of my Zones, I know the limits of her roaming time and my minions can only reach the Zone if I create stairs and passages, the expense in mana high! Hence, I am researching evolutions! Doesn’t she realise I am her Master and I need to balance requirements? If I held a form or shape, I would certainly be stamping my other foot now!

Given her service and the situation, I considered for a moment, a single moment, to grant her a boon. Ask her which evolution she would prefer. I can almost guarantee her choice, GynoSphinx of course. So obvious, I don’t need to ask her now do I.

Therefore, instead of asking her, I will evolve her, after all, she knows my mind, and can point out the issues in defending the Frigid Lake Zone. Surely, she can predict I will evolve her as the best solution! I wonder if the Frost Giants will attack her egg if she hasn’t completed her evolution? If she is defeated, will I lose the Zone? Will she respawn? Some precautions, first things first.

I detect him swimming freely he is the current alpha; he will be my Zone Boss. I am enjoying this immensely, the Frost Giants, if they defeat her won’t benefit and she will fight to the death if she evolves in time believing she must defend the Zone as Zone Boss. I recognise within myself the petty immature response; she drives me to this insanity because she is problematic and different. I am sure I will come back to my senses … after.

Firstly, I need to turn off all System Messages, which I will to the System.

Next, I will into the System, and appoint the Alpha Giant Gar as Zone Boss of Frigid Lake Zone. No response from the system, perfect! I check his status instead and confirm he is Zone Boss! She knows no different.

I will the System and evolve her.

No System Message appears, perfect! A surprise for you my dear!

Oh, wait …

---Aphrodite POV

Master doesn’t respond to my plea. Why am I not surprised! The beast within growls, its first response since being subdued by my feelings, my human absorbed emotions. My pity for my fallen enemies, which it refuses to comprehend or understand. I detect it wishes to return to the simple way of living; to hunt, to slay and to devour. Fate forces us to stay in this open-air confinement, the sky above us, although out of reach, the forest, and mountains surround us, forbidden yet full of prey.

The beast within refuses to accept, and I must now exert my will, my determination to control and stifle an urge I agree with. My sadness confuses it, if I agree, why don’t we go, we are Griffon! I try to explain Dungeon Roaming to him, I must remain a day within the Dungeon to recover an hour of freedom given my unrestricted range. My body flushes with heat, my heart is pounding as my bestial anger manifests within me. My body rolls to place my talons and paws underneath me, my wings unfurl and then I regain control.

No sentimental agreeing, the beast within must be denied. To be denied my control must dominate my insanity, the simple insanity which dictates I fly free until I can’t. Unfortunately, I know my freedom is measured in a unit called minutes, eight of them and there are no units called hours or days. Such a short time, a guaranteed respawn and while my shade would revisit my Creator, he would view my presence before him as a failure, a burden impossible for me to carry given I made the choice!

Cold eludes me. My warm heart wishes to return to cold stone, unfeeling, efficient, gather essence, evolve, increase in power … My beaked head twitches. Those actions increase Dungeon Dominate and Monster Dominate. I need to increase Sentient Dominate, no I must maintain a balance, too high a Sentient Dominate and I weaken, I take wounds, maybe until death. Never death. I mustn't respawn. The shame of my shade before my Creator. Nooooo.

I don’t recognise the stomach hollowing feeling, the chest pain and rapid breathing which overtakes my body. It calls to me strongly, to flee. NO! I am not in that condition yet, to prevent such a condition I must prevent Sentient Dominate. Argh, I screech my frustration! My mind is now exhausted.

---

The ice formed by the Frost Giants is breaking up, the wind-driven waves lapping and washing, forcing water into any cracks, any slivers of weakness. Relentless in the unguided action it pursues at no one’s bidding, simple. I stare mind-numbingly at the ice demonstration, observing, no thought and no conclusions, simple cause and effect.

I eventually step back from the weakening icy edge and then crumple down again, my eagle eyes observing the ice’s destruction, my mind oblivious to everything else, after all, I am in a Dungeon and any intruders will be announced.

My troubled mind rests and I fall asleep.

---

I fail to dream, the lapping icy water rocks me contentedly.

The water is real!

My eyes fly open in time to witness two blasts of frigid air slam into me. My breath is shortened from the impact, although enough remains. The water surrounding me is frozen, well, re-frozen. I have been asleep so long the frozen platform created by the Frost Giants has receded another length and deposited my body into the lake.

The crunching underfoot of ice and snow, heralded by triumphant laughter announces a follow-up assault by at least two Frost Giants! Lying on the Lakebed the submerged half of me isn’t ice-bound and it is this half I use to stretch out and push off from. The lakebed holds firm and the ice cracks and snaps due to my strength. Both Giants gasp and their footfalls stop. They didn’t think their prey could survive the frost blasts and break the ice, more fool them.

With my remaining minutes I will fly, assess, and act, this I can do, this I need to do! I unleash the beast within, and we both sing to the joys of the hunt with an ear-shattering screech! The ice falls away as I prepare to launch, bunching my hindquarter muscles to spring into the air.

---

There is no pain. A curious message though.

{This Evolution breeds live young, hence the mana cost and change in transformation.}

My former Griffon body is enveloped in a ball of white light. There is no pain.

{Due to Evolution Request Please set Parameters:}

This is unexpected, why ask me?

{Lock Dungeon Dominate Automatically when 100%?}

No! Never! Disable!

{Automatically Evolve Living Construct when conditions are met?}

This is his menu. This is what he decides for me at each evolution. I digest this realisation for a moment as time seems to stop.

While unpalatable to agree with him, automatic evolution could be problematic, such as it is now. This means he has initiated it now with Intruders in the zone! Does he wish my death and inevitable respawn? Is this a test of some sort? Conceivably, given I have access to a menu never meant for me. Could this mean he is incapable, become incapacitated somehow? Our next conversation, if there is one, will be interesting.

Disable!

{Set Dungeon Roaming Range:(Unrestricted/Proximity/Dungeon/Zone/Room)}

Proximity. I need to fly if my new evolution allows me to, more importantly, I need to escape him and distance away from his Dungeon is my best hope.

{Harvest Living Construct Kills automatically, then convert to Mana?}

Delightful, no more feeding from me Master! Disable!

{Gift Living Construct Skills?}

I will leave it at disable as I assume, he would need to grant them, I couldn’t just will them. Or could I? Doesn’t hurt to find out. Enable!

{Evolution commencing ...}

{Dungeon Master evolves your existence. +7% Wisdom, +7% Perception, +7% Mettle, +7% Intelligence, +7% Willpower, +7% Power, +7% Charisma, +7% Glamour.}

{Racial Minimum Breach, correcting . . .}

{Adjustments made: Mettle 75%, Charisma 75%, Glamour 75%}

{Dungeon Master evolves your existence. +4% Dungeon Dominate. +10% Monster Dominate.}

{Living Construct is currently 73% Dungeon Dominate and will need to return to the Dungeon in 27 Days or suffer automatic respawning.}

{Do you wish to Lockout Monster Dominate due to Soul being Dungeon Dominate? Y/N}

I respond by willing N. I am aware of the opposing aims now, although I hang on to the promise of protection if Monster Dominate and Sentient Dominate are similar in value.

{Do you wish to Lockout Sentient Dominate due to Soul being Dungeon Dominate? Y/N}

I respond by willing N. My goal if anything is to lockout Dungeon Dominate.

{Evolution paused ... searching for explanation ... due to Sentient Dominate Parameter: “Humanise Monster Evolution”}

{Humanised portion identified: Face. Imagine the form required.}

I will with all my soul, grant me an abdomen and chest, a chest with breasts as I wish to mother. Arms and hands to wield weapons. Neck and head to speak and be recognised as human, closer to the image as sculpted by my Creator.

{Template found, form possible. Evolution re-imagining Harpy torso, arms and head ... removing feathers, replacing with human hair ... completed. Evolution finalising.}

{Innate Abilities granted:

Telepathy between common language speakers

Invisibility twice per day

Teleport within sight twice per day

Emanate Demoralise Foes constantly

Able to utilise the Healer Profession.}

{Form compatible, Priest Profession unlocked at Level 7:

Patron God Zeus

Realms: Sky, Lightning, Thunder, Law, Order and Justice

Holy Symbols: Crown of Oak Leaves, Thunderbolt shaped Sceptre

Healer Skills: Treat Wound, Treat Disease, Treat Poison, Lore (Plant), Lore (Animal), Find Plants, Brew Medicine

Faith Magic: None

Divine Magic: Sanctify Area, Worship (Zeus)

Realm Magic: None}

The light surrounding my new body recedes. Two male Frost Giants kneel before me, and the tops of their horned helms greet me. Two female Frost Giants stand defiant, cold as ice, a distance behind their placating males; each with a child hugging them, eyes wide, trembling and staring at me. Two snow-white wolves, huge, their shoulder height the equal of the female Frost Giant hips whine and back down onto their haunches, one beside each female.

I reassess. The females are protective, as mothers should be, not defiant.

My body is formed from the forequarters and hindquarters of a black panther, joined to this is my upper human torso and head, coloured basalt black with cold azure streaks. Like the Harpy my black feathered wings, now with blue tips attach to my human back, muscles corded to support them, reaching down to my feline body.

“Look upon me.”

Both Giants raise their heads cautiously, staying kneeled. Standing they would tower over me at twice my panther’s shoulder height.

“Why do you kneel before me?”

The Giants steal a look at each other and by some hidden signal, the one on the right speaks.

“Your light destroyed the creature of evil, which slew our brothers and claimed our ancient lake, we are indebted and in awe of your power and don’t wish to be slain.” The rumble of his voice is smooth and sure, any fear held within.

Checking my status, I conceal my relief when Zone Boss of Frigid Lake isn’t listed. It made sense, my evolution would extinguish any past titles or duties to the Dungeon, especially one as mercurial as Zone Boss. I didn’t need to deceive with my words.

“Ownership of the ancient lake has passed to a creature in the lake.” My voice heavy and sorrowful, I wave an arm in the direction of the lake. A guess, although I believe a good guess. “They have allied with another creature and if you weren’t threatened by an announcement as you approached the lake you will when you leave. For you to defeat them both, impossible.”

“Our families have always fished the lake, what do we do now?” asked the Giant on the left.

“I will help, first we must leave this cursed place.”

Brimming with confidence I spring from the icy water onto the ice shelf, I pad past the males and as I approach the females I throw them a reassuring smile, not halting my march, not once looking over my shoulder, until I am amongst the snow-laden fir trees of the surrounding forest. On the way through ignoring his Exit Dungeon notification of course. My desire for revenge over my Master growing with each step and the easiest pathway to achieve said outcome would be to ensure these powerful Giants and their pets didn’t join his Dungeon as minions, he would need to create his own.

“We have our Steading nearby if you wish to discuss your plan there?” The owner’s voice was deep, although distinctly female. Now drawn to look upon her, I recognise her and the adolescent who continues to latch onto her. My heart sinks and to avoid them witnessing my tears, I turn away from the Giants and fortunately spy an old trail with my tracking skill and stride toward it. The Griffon beast conflict within now absent, my current evolution supportive, a welcome change and longed for relief. I almost weep anew.

“How did you know?” Her familiar voice calls after me.

I exhaled my relief, the trail stale, snow half-filling the foot depressions, the evidence. The single positive is the footfalls tracking towards the lake, suggesting you could backtrack the trail to find their Steading.

Before they catch up to me, I wipe away my frozen tears and compose myself.