It was clear after some time watching the movements and fights of my creatures that I had a moment to consider all that had happened to me. First, I had been introduced to a new world having been given the right to life. Was I not already alive before that point? I do feel much less desperation. I have found things to keep the energy at bay more permanently and now I could explore and investigate these changes without panic.

I was already curious about what the difference between the creatures I had been observing and the dungeon creatures was? The embedded information in the system message contained detailed descriptions of the organism’s life cycle. Their predators and prey though information on other creatures was limited to only their names. What felt most relevant was a single word in the supplied table. Mana. Its description wasn’t overly clear mostly due to my lack of background information. However, it was enough to realise that the fatal energy I had been producing all this time must be mana. It was somehow reassuring to now have a name to attach to it. It was a hope that I could gather further information and understanding of the energy that had been plaguing me for so long.

Looking out at the surrounding creatures I could see those individuals that had that little bit more of my energy than the others. However, their numbers were growing as more of the remaining creatures absorbed enough of my mana to tip over the boundary into becoming my creature. It was strange that my perception kept being drawn to these special individuals. As I followed this tugging on my perception I found that I now had some sort of link to them.

Unsure as to what its purpose was I began to explore what I could do with the link. I tried to push some of my mana down this connection but found that while some was being used. I pushed mana at my end of the link but it didn’t seem to reach the creature. Finding little changing I instead tried to pull mana away from the connection. Which definitely had an effect. The link was gone. I could still see the creature and it appeared to be unharmed and was continuing to feed. However, I was no longer connected to it. I released my control on the mana that had been powering the link and it re-established. It didn’t prove much except I had some control over the use of the mana I produced.

My next experiment was to see what effect my perception would have on the creature. As I focused on the link and the creature. I was initially flooded with strange sensations and was startled enough that I dropped my focus. It had been exceptionally confusing. Attempting again I found no colour or even blurry images it was just an awareness of how strong the light was and in which direction it came from. As I waited a subtle sense I didn’t have became apparent. I could detect the direction to my prey. That they were to my left and some distance, while I could also detect that another of my species was already feeding there.

Relaxing my focus my perception was moved back to my body. It had been so odd to be completely taken in by the concerns and senses of a being with such a different experience of the world. But I was starting to realise what a restricted view of the world they had.

My final test was to see if it would respond to instructions like my Id did. I sent an order for it to change direction randomly. Which it promptly did. Then on its own, it changed directions again. Having realised the issue of being unspecific with my instructions. Its first change of direction could have just been random chance. I made my next instructions for it to travel a course with three changes of direction towards different colonies of purple cyanobacteria. My control was confirmed as it followed the course before again reverting to its own instinctual behaviour. Moving to the nearest colony to feed. I wanted to test the limit of my control. In all my time observing them the rotifers never attacked one another. My test subject was joined by another of its kind before I sent my commands for them to attack each other.

Once my commands had been given. Both Rotifers lunged at each other. Using their extending tails to push off from the surface of my body they collided against each other. My test subject had adapted to have armoured mouthparts and they now came into play. They opened and stretched to grab and tear into the side of the other Rotifer. However, it was not that effective as this individual had adapted to feed on a variety of acid producing cyanobacteria and had developed thickened armour plates on its body. So, it turned and proceeded to open its mouthparts and grip into the unarmoured side of my test subject. Each of its tentacles puncturing into the soft main body and digestive tract. Before ripping the penetrated tissues free and consuming them. My test subject thrashed its attack halted as its rudimentary internal organs collapsed and stopped working. A moment later growing still and was dead. After which the attacker lost interest and returned to its normal feeding. Ignoring the remaining corpse.

It had been quick violent and awesome. I had found the struggle for survival vicariously thrilling. And I was rather impressed at how much the fight had been affected by their adaptations. I then spent an extended period setting the different versions of the creatures against each other. The cyanobacteria species were not that interesting even I couldn’t change their inherently passive behaviour though I could influence them to trigger their defences even when they weren’t needed. So, the rotifer species got most of my attention. I pared up individuals of different species randomly. Setting them against each other in a series of battles. The survivors of which were given time to feed and recover before they started the next round of battles.

After several more rounds, I was left with my final paring. Another armoured example of the species faced off against an interesting variation. It was smaller about a third of the size of its armoured opponent. But it was proportionately longer and had only a small modification of its head. When its mouthparts were retracted its front end revealed a pointed armoured spike. When feeding this species kept its mouthparts furled inside and used its great speed, from its long tail to ram into the heart of the cyanobacteria colonies on which it fed. Before unfurling grabbing one or two and fleeing again using its speed to escape any defences triggered.

However, how it used this in battle was a little different. The armoured rotifer began by trying to grab its smaller opponent. Unfortunately, it wasn’t fast enough to close. The faster rotifer darting out of its path again and again as its larger counterpart began to tire and slow. This was not a disaster for the armoured rotifer. It had developed its own behaviours to cope in these longer confrontations. It curled up. Its tail and mouthparts retracted into its main body. Letting itself rest as opponents were stymied by its thick armour plates. But this time it was not enough. Once the retracted and stationary the smaller rotifer struck. Using its powerful tail to pounce forward ramming its armoured point into the side of the resting opponent. Before retreating and repeating the action again.

Slowly, it was chipping away at the armoured rotifer’s defences causing breaks to appear leaving access to the softer tissues within. This had taken some time and when the smaller one rushed forward to ram again. The armoured rotifer sprang out. It's mouthpart scoring a long shallow tear into the smaller rotifers soft side. Instead of retreating as the faster rotifer had done before it used its powerful tail to change course and give just a little more thrust as it rammed the armoured rotifer for the last time. If this didn’t work the fight was over.

Finally, as the rotifers spike struck the side of the larger rotifer the armoured plates gave way and the smaller rotifer was half embedded into the side of its opponent. I knew from its previous fights that it was over. In pain, the larger rotifer thrashed attempting to dislodge its opponent. However, no matter how it turned or twisted it couldn’t be dislodged. Bit by bit the larger rotifer slowed. And I watched as the smaller rotifer squirmed deeper into its side. And the defeated rotifer stopped moving. I watched as the body of the larger rotifer started to collapse as the victor consumed it from the inside.

Dungeon notice: Victor of tournament declared. Do you wish to name the victor? (Y/N)