I lie on the floor of my hut, throwing and catching knives by the blade as I stare at the roof which now had bone supports. My dull reptilian eyes unfocused as I think about my time in this forest.

4 months have passed since I entered the forest and in a couple of days, it will be the promised half a year when I will develop my abilities. I still spend a little time meditating after I do my daily workouts and I can feel the energy becoming "bigger" and easier to control.

Over these past 4 months, I have increased the potency of my poison and venom, making them more deadly than before. I can now control up to 30 tentacles at once thanks to the morning workouts.

The control over my blood has increased allowing it to take up to 7 full power roundhouse kicks in quick succession. My accuracy and technique is now 100% with throwing knives and crossbows with up to 10 moving targets while running at up to 50m.

I have killed many animals, beasts and monsters, because of this my mass has grown to an incredible amount. My tracks now sink into the forest floor so much that I have to shed weight each time I go out to hunt, the only reason I hold onto it is in the hope that my power can help me keep the physical prowess without the added weight.

Speaking of the monsters I have found a use for the beast cores and monster crystals. They explode when I try to control them. So I use them as grenades while fighting, I usually put them in wounds I have created and then explode them. I am now strong and fast enough to kill a tube spider in under 5 seconds without becoming injured.

I have managed to increase my senses up to 100 times that of a regular human, allowing me to track and avoid enemies. Sometimes Shade comes hunting with me since she has grown from the size of my palm to the size of my whole hand. She flies so fast I can barely see her as she scratches the prey's eyes or uses a type of dark-colored energy to attack from range.

Despite all the fun and excitement of hunting, I was becoming lonely. I have never really had any friends or companions and I spend most of my time alone. But my memories and the memories of Paul had shown that companionship can be enjoyable.

I snort making the scales softer as I let the blade cut my hand. A manic smile forms on my face as I watch the crimson liquid that keeps me alive drip onto the bamboo flooring.

Sitting up I get started with the rest of my day of hunting, fighting and training before sitting down for some deep meditation.

But when I close my eyes I am in a vast space of nothing and yet everything simultaneously [Well that makes no fucking sense, I must be back in the void.]

“That is indeed correct little one, It is time for us to converse once again.”

[I assume that it has something to do with me getting my powers in a few days?]

“ Again, you are correct little one, although I will not be telling you what your power is or how to control your aura.”

[good it is more interesting this way but… But you didn't mention magic?]

“well by eliminating the laws inside of you, you removed any magic. Although it is unlikely you would have been one of the 5% of the population to use magic, aura, and power anyway.”

I watch as my surroundings warp and ripple seemingly at random.

[what do you mean "one of the 5%" ?]

“Consider power, aura, and magic as separate types of energy. Of the whole sentient population, only 25% can use only one type of energy, 15% can use two types of energy while 5% can use all three. Although the percentage of these people are small the population is vast and anyone can strengthen their bodies without the use of energy...."

I try to sense where the voice was coming from within the void and I catch a bare glimpse of a dark room with a barred door looking out into an unknown marble structure. I quickly withdraw to not arose suspicion as the Void continues its explanation.

"Magic harnesses the natural laws of the universe such as the elements. Aura can take different forms, if one is lucky enough, such as a healing aura that would help regenerate the user.”

[And I will be able to use these powers? apart from magic. With practice and training of course. ]

The connection seems to strain between us and the voice finishes in a slightly faster yet calm voice.

“Yes with practice and training you shall be able to use you're all of your abilities. Goodbye, little one.”

[Wait please… and it's gone] I wake up in the hut with Shade, perched on a horizontal pole I have made for her, looking at me curiously.

“Don't worry Shade I am fine.” After reassuring the uncaring bird I look outside to see that the golden rays of sunlight are making their way through the canopy of the forest.

Sighing, I once again start the day with a hunt. I kill many large monsters and beasts but instead of eating or absorbing them I smoke them to preserve their flesh. [I don't know that awaking my powers will do to me so it would be better to have a stock of food. Abilities would be developed by regular sentient creatures so maybe I should make my body more "normal" so that my abilities are more compatible with my body. ]

So I then spent the rest of the day removing parts of my body mass and storing it as bone so it does not decompose. Excited and full of energy I bounce on the balls of my feet, after all, tomorrow I get my powers.