And tendrils of that smoke were being siphoned off. Directly into--
What Dwells Beneath, Felix breathed. You piece of--MAW!
A delighted chuckle rose from the darkness, pulsing from his Bastion of Will like a whisper of wind. The siphoning did not stop, only increased.
What Dwells Beneath is level 25!
Bloodline Progression is 69%
Congratulations! You Have Reached Apprentice Tier in What Dwells Beneath!
YoU? //)N>>
ERROR!
ERROR!
ERROR!
Synergy Detected!
What Dwells Beneath Is Compatible With Multiple Skills!
Do You Wish To Evolve?
Y/N
No! Felix reached out and grasped part of the essence himself, pulling on it to redirect toward his core fire. Tendrils of the essence dipped below and were consumed almost instantly, but it was too little. The pressure kept building, threatening to rip him apart.
What Dwells Beneath is level 26!
Bloodline Progression is 70%
What Dwells Beneath is level 27!
Bloodline Progression is 71%
Stop! You can't do this!
I can, hissed the Maw, an edge to its voice. This is my power, after all!
Felix gripped the clouds of essence and wrestled with it. Flaring his Willpower, he maneuvered great chunks of the power into his core flame, digesting the condensing essence as fast as he could.
Fire Within is level 41!
Fire Within is level 42!
Fire Within is level 43!
What Dwells Beneath is level 29!
Bloodline Progression is 73%
Felix felt the shift covering his body more and more completely. The pain spiked through him, terrible schisms within his bones and muscles as altered composition. Something much deeper than a few claws was happening, and Felix felt his knees weaken. He couldn't contain it, neither the essence or the rapid progression of his monstrous nature. Even the pieces of essence he'd managed to digest were too condensed and wild for him to do much more than store within himself.
I have to hold it. Lights flashed across his eyes, his Skills revolving ever faster as the pressure built within his core. But the rest...
The rest of the monster essence, still streaming in, was too much for him. Too much for anyone, he wagered. And the taint to it, the corruption that stained the essence was not something just anyone could take into themselves. Not unless they were already infected by it. It was a stroke of luck that he could handle this much at all. That he--
What Dwells Beneath is level 31!
Bloodline Progression is 75%
His core shuddered.
What?
The blue-white fire below, surmounted by bolts of azure lightning, had shifted its radiance. It had taken on a distinct purple hue. Whirling his perception, Felix saw that the essence funneling into his Unique Skill was overflowing, it's power spreading around his core like a crimson stain. And it was growing.
What have you done! Felix shouted.
Only what I must, the Maw whispered back at him. This is not my end, Felix Nevarre. I am...sorry it must be yours. But at least you will not be alone.
It was trying to make him into a Revenant, or something like it. Trying to stain him. Turn him into a perfect Vessel, once and for all. And--his vision split, Felix's Mind snapping into place with a resonant thrum. Silver strings were all around him, more than a few connected to himself. The corruption had started to creep along his Oath strings too...steadily corroding them.
Heading for his friends.