Peek: Hard Scales and Soft Wings

Energy, endless... swirling.  Filling the bar... filling him.  Full.

Fluffles opens his eyes inside the snake den spawner, and his first thought is that this is only the second time he's actually been in there.  The first was his creation, when the Denmaster brought him into being.  He had expected to need to respawn many times, especially in the fight with Neverrest.

But he was able to track down and consume that vile core for the Denmaster.  Now he has ascended and gained a title: Conduit.  But what does that mean?  He can feel the attention of the Denmaster upon him.  He and the Denmaster are both curious about Fluffles' new form.

At first, he thought he had simply grown bigger, but simply uncoiling is proving more difficult than it should be.  The reason is obvious, at least: wings.  He has limbs now!  Ugh, they're awkward.  How do the others manage?  Most have four limbs, with even more, smaller limbs on the ends of those!  How do they keep track of all that?!

He'll have to figure it out, he supposes.  He slithers from the den to spread his wings, and he quite likes the look of them.  They have a prismatic hue, and even seem to catch the sunlight in interesting ways.  He gives them an experimental flap, and can feel the sky calling to him.  He can fly!  He doesn't get to do much more before the Denmaster calls him to a meeting.  Elf Guy is here, so the Denmaster would like Fluffles to make an appearance.

The meeting goes well, but Fluffles' next few days leave him feeling restless.  Part of it is simply a lack of meaningful things to do.  Countering Neverrest was a large part of his duties for a while, and now with that danger past, so to has the excitement.

And with both, so has passed his mana bar.  At first, he didn't think much of it.  He now uses the mana of the dungeon, which is potent and vast.  And yet... it seems wrong to use it as if it were his own.  With his own mana bar, he could spend it on whatever he wanted, levitating whatever he wished.  But now, he takes a toll on the Denmaster to lift anything!

He lazily flies as he ponders his dilema, gliding through the crypt complex to think.  The empty hallways and tunnels give him plenty of space to be alone with his thoughts... until he comes across the Enclave.

Ah, yes.  The ratlings are to become ratkin today.  He sees Aranya enter, and so decides to stand guard for the two posted at the entrance, allowing them to go join the ceremony.  Their murmurs fall on deaf ears as he coils, returning to his thoughts as the ratlings spend their final moments as denizens.

The ratlings are much like him, he comes to realize.  He was a simple scion.  While most denizens would quail at the thought of a scion being simple, it was the truth.  He had no title, he didn't even have all that many levels.  And now... he's probably the strongest of the Denmaster's scions.  But what does he do with that?

He sighs and slumps slightly with a quiet hiss.  He can't do very much at all, not without spending what isn't his.  Perhaps he should try to focus on training his physical side, rather than his magic?  He's not especially fond of that idea, but he has precious few other notions to run with.

He looks behind him as the bars fill for the ratlings, now truly ratkin, and sees Aranya speaking with and guiding them.  He wishes he had a guide.  The Denmaster would probably do so if he asked... but he's already feeling like a bit of a burden on him.  If he practices his magic, he takes from the Denmaster's mana.  If he tries to ask for guidance, he takes from the Denmaster's time.  Either way, he takes from the dungeon.

He steels himself and shakes his head, his tongue flicking resolutely.  No, he will not take from his creator.  He will figure this out on his own, starting with physical training.  The tunnels need extra help to keep invaders handled.  Jello is diligent, but even with the shortcuts, she can only be in one place at a time.  He can help cull the invaders without spending mana.

Yes... he can contribute without being a drain.