The first thing the creature heard was a voice speaking to it. Before it even knew what it was they heard this voice. It brought it a strange comfort. It wondered where the voice had gone. Maybe it would never hear it again.

"Node your head if you hear me"

It heard it again, this time knowing what they wanted. So as to please this voice it did as it was told. Nodding its head up and down, almost as if it was reflex to do so.

"Good, now guard here and wait for people to enter. And when they do, make sure to distract them."

It once more did as it was told, laying on the ground and waiting for these people.

The creature did find it strange though, even though it would it wanted to follow its orders. It did not know what these people were. Perhaps it would be told what they were once they were here? Or maybe it would simply be able to tell? There must be some way for it to tell.

Your actions have unlocked a common skill

Wisdom Growth

It's thinking was interpreted by a strange box. This box was not like the voice. It did not simply convey information once then vanish. No, this was something different. It seemed to stay within its thoughts, constantly there. Maybe it would always be there, never going away.

But just as it had this though, as though to mock it, the box disappeared. Leaving it once more with just its own thoughts and the darkness.

This box had gotten it thinking though, maybe there were other things it did not know about yet. Maybe one of these things would be what lets it tell when there these people it needed to watch out for. If it could just figure out what, it might be able to be more useful in the task it was given.

So with no other ideas, it thought back to when it had nodded its head. Its body had moved on its own back then. But if it used what it had done back then and learned how it worked it might be able to find more things it could do.

So it set about trying to control its body. Starting off with trying to recreate the very first thing it had ever done. And while it took many attempts, it was, at last, successful in moving its head. With this knowledge, it decided to try moving other parts of its body.

By using what it had learned from moving its head, it was quickly able to figure out how to move other parts of its body. And even started to move onto more complex movements such as moving its head side to side.

While doing this, it discovered something else of great importance. If it was to expose a specific part of its body but moving thin skin flaps. it would be able to gain a new sense. This new sense let it observe more than just its own body, but also things around it. There was a problem though, there was a limit to what it was able to see. It could fix this slightly by moving the organs that let it see, but this only went so far.

While thinking about this, it had an idea. If it were to combine its ability to move its head with this new one, it might be able to see new areas.

Your actions have unlocked a common skill

Memory Growth

Wisdom Growth ranked up to basic 2

1 Point has been distributed

Seeing the blue boxes return once more filled it with a feeling of contentment. Like confirmation that what it was doing was the right idea. Even though it did not know why this feeling, it did know that it wanted to see more of them. And since they had appeared when it had come up with its newest ability, it decided to try it out.

To its delight, the plan worked. By moving its head it would be able to see new areas. But there still seemed to be a limit to this. Its head could only turn so far.

That's when it had its next idea. What if it moved its body instead of just it's head. It would be able to greatly extend was it was able to see and even move where it saw from.

And so, it set its next plan into motion. First placing its arms onto the ground and trying to push. This did not work though, instead of tearing up its arms on the stone floor.

The result of pain was a shock to the creature. Cause it to immediately stop what it was doing and look to its arms. They seemed to be redder than before. With something seemingly pouring out of them.

Not knowing what to do about this, they start to panic. Pushing the parts that seemed to be leaking against their body to try and stop it. and while this does not seem to work at first, after some time the leaking seems to stop. Leaving the area a darker color than before thou.

Seeing that their arms seem fine once more, they try one more to get up. Though this time being more careful to prevent the same thing from happening again. This proves to be no more successful than their other attempt, leading to nothing but fumbling around on the ground.

They are about to try to get up again when they notice something. A sphere of blue crystal floating in the air. Simply looking at it fills them with awe.

Something inside of them is telling them that this crystal is extremely important. So they start trying to crawl over to it. Determined to figure out what it is.

Your actions have unlocked a common skill

Dexterity Growth

Your actions have unlocked a common skill

Strength Growth

Noticing that as soon as these messages appeared, crawling seemed to get much easier, the creature started to understand what they are. Seemingly whenever one of these boxes appear, it would get better at whatever they were doing when they appeared.

Wisdom Growth ranked up to basic 3

Seemingly to tell it that it was right, another one appeared as it attempted to comprehend what they were. To make sure though, it would need to test it out. So it continued to crawl to the blue crystal. Now with the additional goal of trying to make more boxes appear.

And though it took longer, they did appear. Showing what it could only assume was what was shown when it got the same box more than once.

Dexterity Growth ranked up to basic 2 Strength Growth ranked up to basic 2 2 Points have been distributed

As soon as they did appear, it noticed once more an increase in its own ability to crawl around. Letting it reach the blue crystal much faster then it would have otherwise.

Though it now had the problem of the crystal is too high for it to touch. Even after turning itself around its arms simply could not touch it. Thinking about its current situation, it would try to lift itself onto its legs and arms to give it the extra height.

Its first attempt did not go well, leading to it falling. Causing more pain and a new box.

Your actions have unlocked a common skill

Constitution Growth

Ignoring the latest menu, it continued to try and reach the crystal. Each failure helping it learn something new. The fact it could use its arms for balance. That it could move its main body to shift its weight. As well as many of the small adjustments it needed to make.

While doing this many more of the blue boxes had appeared. Even giving it two new words, Intelligence and Endurance. It also started to notice a pattern. It seemed that it would also be given a point every other time it saw the same word. Though it still did not know what these points were for.

Thought to it, the most important thing was that it had finally been able to reach a higher hire without falling. Its lack of understanding, with regards to the boxes, could be reminded at a later date. For now, the most important thing was calming its prize.

So, will be very careful as not to fall, it reached a hand out to the crystal. Slowly getting ready to wrap its hand around it. Its prize was finally within range.

"What do you think are you doing?!" The voice had before seemingly exploded into its head. "I was in the middle of planning. Now, all of a sudden, you have your hands all over me. And what's with your arm, there where no invaders so how did you manage to cause all that damage to it."

The creature is stunned, it seems as though it was not meant to touch the blue crystal.

"Why am I even yelling at you, it's not like you can understand anyway."

This confused the creature, it seemed the voice did not know it was able to think. How could this be though, it should now everything shouldn't it? Maybe it had done something wrong by thinking? It should probably tell it just in case. But without really knowing how to do it began to try and think up a way to convey this to it.

Wisdom Growth ranked up to basic 4 1 has been distributed

"Wait you're alive? How is that even possible" the voice says, telling the creature whatever it did seemed to have worked. "Maybe it has something to do with you not being made from a creature mold? Send me your status so I can try to figure out what happened."

Not sure what it's supposed to do, the Shifter simply stands there doing its best to convey its confusion.

"Looks like you don't know how to send your status. Try thinking really hard of pulling up your status, and once you do, think of showing it to me. Since you're a monster in this dungeon you'll be able to send it to me. And by having you do it instead of me inspecting you, it will save me some Ather."

Having been given orders, it starts to think about pulling up its status. And while at first has no success, it managed to figure it out.

Stats Name N/A Race N/A Gender N/A Age 3 Hours Title None Crimes None Str 1 (+5) Dex 1 (+5) End 1 (+3) Con 1 (+2) Int 1 (+2) Wis 1 (+4) Cha 1 (+0) Mem 1 (+2) Classes Skills Flesh Molding Basic 1 Str Growth Basic 5 Dex Growth Basic 5 End Growth Basic 3 Con Growth Basic 2 Int Growth Basic 2 Wis Growth Basic 4 Mem Growth Basic 2 Traits Paths (11) Basic Path 0/1

After seeing its stats, it starts to focus on the next part of its instructions. Finding it much easier now that it has done something similar before.

"Strange, I have never heard of a monster having ones across all their stats. At least you seem to be able to earn skills. Which makes it seem as though you are being treated as a named monster. But you don't have a name. So it shouldn't be doing that? It might have something to do with you being created from the body of a human? Though I don't see how it could have caused something like this."

The voice seems to be musing to itself more than talking to them at this point. Though, not wanting to miss anything, it makes sure to pay full attention to the voice. "Let's try something, put a point into the basic path, you can't access any other paths until you do."

Hearing an order it quickly tries to do as it's told. First noticing the section of its stats containing paths. In then tried to move one of the points it had earned to the path it was instructed to.

Basic Path 1/1

Every journey starts with a single step.

+1 all stats

"It seems like you don't have any more paths yet. Also seems like you don't yet have a class or even a race. So XP won't have any use to you currently. Just keep training as you have till now. Just make sure you don't grab me again."

Having new orders, it gets back to practicing mobility. This time trying to raise its body even higher. Standing on just two of its limbs instead of four."

"Those are your arms, use the other limbs to walk!"

Hearing the voice angry once more it swiftly made the correction in its attempt.