RL is a pain, but I've been typing steadily bit by bit. idk how long the chapter portion is, but I apologize as the next release will take just as long. This chapter was mainly informative, with nothing action worthy. But it is introducing new elements to the story. Enjoy, and ask questions, I'm on often because I'm a fan of Zephon haha.

On a side note, it did take up two/three pages... and like my character, I do mutter these types of lines. Weird? But a little comedy flavoring.

You also noticed I'm copying someone else with the type of chapter portion releases. This is because it works a little bit better when I don't want the story to advance too fast. Although, it is slow already... right Sora-chan? xD

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“So am I a monster Borin?”

“Heh? Meh thought we went over this already.”

“Well, Ulia accused me of being one…”

“Don’t let her get to yer’. Ther reason for her reaction is cause no human that has come her’, has ever become somethin else besides elvish of dwarf.”

Sitting atop the lizard, we were talking about the world of Vernier, how there are different levels of civilization, how the planet is actually alive in a sense, like a plant or tree would be. How I was actually most likely something else more than human, and how the Progression hasn’t hijacked my brain and turned me into a monster.

On Vernier, every child goes through an aptitude test to discover which path they will tread upon, and how there will only be at most two different choices for humans, elves or dwarves. Dwarves existed out in the cosmos somewhere, just like the elves, but radiation caused mutations that were irreversible, and occured in the whole body. That is basically how there were no pure humans on Vernier, since they came here and either become elves or dwarves.

However, the way my body changed told me that there was more to it that meets the eye, and Borin caught me eyeing my own arm and hastily explains that although I am human, I have some type of blood in me that isn’t humanoid.

To skip through Borin’s rough lecture, it was simply this. Animals that have been exposed to radiation through multiple generations gradually gained a humanoid type body, albeit they still have tails, ears, scales, or something else identifiable for their species.

Although I am human, I also developed something akin to an animal’s humanoid body. Borin tells me that this happens in some cases, but the animal that doesn’t turn humanoid becomes a monster. Which Borin then continues into what types of radiation abilities there are.

I get a headache each time I try to remember, as if my memory is becoming faulty, despite my perfect memory. I do remember after some time, what those three abilities are.

Enhancement. Manipulation. Reproduction. All the different ways radiation can be used, will be categorized into these three types.

Enhancement is a form of strengthening or weakening. Making someone’s strength have a lot of speed, or a lot of power are the basics of this field of radiation. Applying fire or ice to someone is another form of enhancement. However, there are certain limits to the enhancing of an object or person, so it is dangerous when the enhancer is much more powerful than the person or object receiving the ‘upgrade’. Slimes exist as well, and are the ultimate species for enhancing or upgrading.

Manipulation is an all-around type of ability. A person can do anything except enhance or heal. Form walls of sand or air, or create fireballs out of the radiation. Typically, ice is easier to create than water due to ice being of an extreme nature. The best comparison I can think of for this ability was a mage from an RPG.

Reproduction radiation ability is the ability to permanently change shape of living things, or healing injuries. It has everything to with disease as well, and is an uncommon ability. Those that are found with this ability are often recruited by the city, no matter how they appear. Humans that have become elves or dwarves are usually the ones with this ability, typically it is seen in elves.

After over an hour of explaining, I look off the top of the lizard’s head to gaze out into the desert. I squint as something reflects light into my eyes, and Borin chuckles at my predicament.

“That ther is the majority city, where most of yer kind find themselves typically.” Borin says as he points to where the reflected light is coming from.

I squint my eyes as we continue to slither forward on top of the lizard’s head. We traveling closer every second, and I begin to make out the buildings that make up the upper portion of the city. The bottom can’t be seen, as the glare from the buildings still blinds me from that area.

The city before me was a floating city. I can definitely see that, and Borin chuckles once again as he sees my jaw drop from the odd sight.

“Yep. That there is ther pride of the wastes, the Glass City of Forlom. Where, according to history books in meh old village, is the birthplace of many a tale, good or bad.”

Borin raises an eyebrow and smirks. “That’s gonna be the start of yer tale.”

“What do you mean, my tale?” I ask after my brain recovers from the shock.

Borin puts his hand on my scaly shoulder, then quickly shifts over to my regular shoulder with his other hand as he brushes off something on his hand. “Tom, yer gonna be big. Meh knows this as a fact. Look at this lizard! It’s a wild Sand Shroud, a monster that’s dangerously hard to train.” He pokes a hand into my chest. “And yer ridin’ it.”

I only look at him, as I don’t have anyone to compare to besides the dwarf village and Borin himself. “Your point being?”

Giving me a look, Borin throws his hands up into the air. “Why are yer so stupid!”

“You don’t this, but I was raised in the wilderness. I never really cared much for whatever point you are talking about.”

“Urgh… Boy, we’re just gonna show up in the Lower City to showcase meh point.” Borin turns away from me and folds his arms. I shrug and wait for our little ride to be over.

We reach the gate to the lower half of the city that I didn’t see from before. The gate was connected to a protective gray wall that appeared to surround the whole city, and the gate itself had an appearance similar to marble. But we reach the gate on our feet, because Borin began to sweat when he had an inspirational thought that caused us to stop a distance away from the gate itself, which gave us time to leap of the lizard and give farewells to our short encounter, well, my short encounter

Two imposing, gigantic guards stood to each side of the gate that had the appearance of a door. Reaching up as high as the lizard, the gate stood imposingly before me, the shadow casted from the upper portion of the city looming before the two of us. The guards stood in full, black plated armor, in contrast with the ‘marble’ doors.

Borin stood in front of me, as he silently glares at the two guards. I can barely make out the two guards shivering, and seeing how this is a desert, I highly doubt it’s from the cold. Just who is Borin?

When the guards gesture for Borin to pass, he mutters, “Well it’s about damned time… incompetent buffoons…” The guards looks straight ahead, as far as I could tell as I follow along with Borin. As soon as I walk through the gates, I stop to stare at what is around me.

Thinking along the lines of Dorothy, “I’m not in Kansas anymore..”

Borin looks back over his shoulder, “Hm? Did yer say somethin’?”

“Ah, no. Nope. Nada.” I frantically wave my arms in front of me, denying the truth.

Borin shrugs as he continues to walk forward into a bustling city square. I stare at awe at how… uniform the place was, and that the area was littered with guard patrols, with their obvious black armor coming out of the crowd. Rows upon rows of shops were lined up against sides of buildings made from brick and mortar, merchants of various appearances yelling out into the mass of road worn people in the street to buy their wares.

“I would believe it if you said that a flash mob is in hiding here, Borin.”

“Hm? What yer’ say?” Borin looks back to me with a scruffy eyebrow raised. I shrug my shoulders, and he grunts, continuing forward through the throng of people.

We arrive in front of bakery, the smell of pastries entering both my nostrils. Even Borin turns slightly towards the display case, but instead of entering the welcoming place, he turns away towards the other side of the street, to a shack that shouldn’t even be there because of the ominous feeling one could get from the place.

Borin walks up to the door, a sign next to the door reading ‘Mana’s Emporium’. Borin quietly taps on the wooden door, and then the door itself comes crashing down, as if he used too much force from tapping it. I follow up behind him when suddenly he is pulled into the shop. I quicken my pace until I feel myself going unnecessarily faster as some unknown force pulls me through the door, but not without my claws gripping onto the wooden frame, leaving grooves in the wood.