“Oh my,” I said in a half-strangled voice.

“What is it this time?” Adriel asked, sounding exasperated. “Don’t tell me the Adjudicator has more to say.”

I nodded numbly. “He certainly does. I’ve completed a hidden task that allows me to undergo a second higher evolution.”

Her eyes narrowed. “What! Did your Power Mark evolve again? Because that would not be good.”

I shook my head. “None of my existing Marks have changed.” I paused. “But I have gained a new one.” Lowering my voice, I said, “It’s the Mark of the Wolf Progenitor.”

The lich’s eyes closed to slits. “I’ve never heard of such a Mark before,” she muttered. “Nor of anyone being offered the chance of a higher evolution without their Power Mark growing.”

“I find it more than a little unbelievable myself,” I said and read the full Game alert to her.

“‘The first of its kind…’” Adriel quoted in an astonished whisper. “Sometimes, Michael, I wonder what you won’t achieve…”

I threw her a half-embarrassed grin. “This is more Ceruvax’s achievement than my own. Turning the possessed into weres was his idea.”

She waved her hand dismissively. “It was your idea to bring him here in the first place. It seems your gamble is already paying off.”

I nodded slowly, though I hardly felt I deserved the credit. I’d summoned Ceruvax to help rebuild House Wolf, not for this. This was entirely unexpected!

Ceruvax half-walked, half-ran to join us, the excitement in his expression looking strangely out of place on his usually stern face. “Did you see? I gained an alpha mark!”

Adriel laughed. “Old man, that’s not nearly the half of it.”

Ceruvax’s brows furrowed. “What does that mean?”

Grinning, Adriel chose not to enlighten him.

I rolled my eyes. “It’s no more than you deserve. This was your doing, but what Adriel is alluding to is the hidden task I completed.”

“What task?” he asked.

I told him.

Ceruvax sat down, looking as shocked as I felt. “That’s a magnificent boon,” he murmured.

I nodded. “The question now is, what do I do with it?” I glanced to the left, where the possessed of Avery’s group were pacing angrily. “And we best decide quickly, because I don’t think Avery will wait much longer.

✵ ✵ ✵

Death in the ritual circle would be final, and while I was confident about my chances, I was not so foolish as to enter the fight without maximizing my advantage.

In the present situation that meant completing my second higher evolution and utilizing my sole remaining Class point.

While Ceruvax, Adriel, and Farren—he’d hurried over, too—had a whispered discussion about the new Mark and its possibilities, I sat cross-legged and considered my Class point.

I had two options for spending it: slaysight or void thief. Slaysight was at tier four, and void thief at tier three. Considering the number of mages I’d be facing in the Circle, there was a good argument to be made for upgrading void thief and thereby improving my overall magic defenses.

But.

Slaysight was at tier four—only one tier away from being an elite ability—and while the ability didn’t need further enhancement to be effective against the possessed, I had a feeling I would need its more powerful variants once I exited the dungeon.

Besides, upgrading slaysight would give me my first elite ability, and the thought of waiting another fifteen levels for that to happen did not appeal.

My decision made, I turned my focus inward and willed my intent to the Adjudicator.

Commencing Class upgrade…

…

Upgrade complete. Class points remaining: 0.

Congratulations, Michael! Your voidstealer Class has advanced to rank 12.

You have upgraded your slaysight ability to adept slaysight. The fifth tier of the slaysight ability adds another mental manipulation to your arsenal: paralyze. Additionally, the range, number of targets, and spell duration have increased while the casting time has decreased.

With adept slaysight, you may detect any mind within 200 yards and paralyze, shatter, sleep, terrify, or mentally blind any 10 targets for 1 minute. Paralyze will freeze your foes so they can neither move, cast, nor use any other abilities. The debuff will remain in place even after you’ve taken hostile action against your targets. Note, a paralyzed foe is completely aware of what happens around him, even though he is unable to interact with the environment in any way. Its activation time is very fast.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

This is a Class ability and does not occupy any ability slots.

“Wow,” I exclaimed. Paralyze was powerful.

Not only would the ability turn my foes helpless, but it also kept them that way after I attacked them. None of slaysight’s lesser effects could do that, making me doubly glad I’d chosen to upgrade the ability.

Refocusing on my surroundings, I found Farren, Adriel, and Ceruvax staring expectantly at me. I opened my mouth to tell them the good news about slaysight, but before I could, Ceruvax spoke first.

“Are you ready to begin?” the old wolf asked.

Looking at their intent faces, I suspected none of them would be interested in hearing about my new elite ability. Ah, well.

“Let’s hear it then,” I said. “What risks do you see in me undergoing another Class evolution?”

The answer to this was central to my decision on whether to evolve now or not. For obvious reasons, I did not want to wait. What the three had been discussing so frantically was what impact performing a higher evolution would have on my Power Mark.

Growing my Power Mark would not help my cause right now.

As a Power Acolyte, I would be constrained from attacking non-Powers—the same thing would happen when I reached level three hundred—and I was far from ready for such to happen.

In fact, for the foreseeable future, I intended on doing my best not to kill any other Powers and to remain a Powerful Initiate. There were many other ways I needed to grow first.

“There should be no risk,” Farren pronounced.

I eyed the archlich. “‘The word ‘should’ does not inspire much confidence.”

He grimaced. “I know, but that’s the best answer we can come up with now.”

“The truth is you’re wading into uncharted territory, Michael,” Adriel said quietly. “Even with all the years of Game experience the three of us have between us, we don’t know of a single instance of a player undergoing a second higher evolution while still a Powerful Initiate.”

“That doesn’t mean no one’s done it,” Ceruvax added, “only that we don’t know about it.”

“But everything we know of the Game tells us that undergoing a second higher evolution should not trigger a growth in your Power Mark,” Farren said. “The relationship is the other way around. A Power Mark’s growth—accompanied by the appropriate bloodline Mark—triggers an evolution.”

“So, you should be fine,” Adriel said, her lips twitching.

I suppressed a laugh. “I guess I should be forging ahead, then.”

Farren and Ceruvax nodded solemnly, ignoring my amused tone.

I sighed. “So be it.” Closing my eyes, I pulled up the earlier Game message. “Here goes.”

Do you wish to begin your higher evolution now?

“I do,” I replied in response.

Assessing player’s suitability...

…

…

Assessment of player’s Marks completed.

Warning: you lack the necessary Wolf and Power Marks to evolve your existing commander Class from epic to legendary.

Do you still wish to proceed?

“Hmm,” I murmured.

“What?” all three asked simultaneously. Opening my eyes, I relayed the Game’s response.

The trio immediately relaxed. “That’s good,” Farren muttered.

Adriel nodded. “It all but confirms your Power Mark won’t grow.”

“It does mean you will have to choose another epic Class, though,” Ceruvax pointed out. “Are you prepared to do that?”

“I am.” Squeezing my eyes shut again, I willed my intent to the Adjudicator.

Commencing higher evolution…

…

…

Viable ascendant paths determined.

Two new paths lie before you, scion. Each focuses on a different aspect of Power and, over time, will evolve further to provide improved benefits.

The first path is that of the sire wolf and will grant you the ascendant trait, champion. As a champion, the power of all your blood memories is doubled. You will also gain 30 attribute points and may choose 1 additional benefit unique to your chosen Class.

The second path is that of the den forefather and will grant you the ascendant trait, governor. As a governor, you gain access to a unique branch of blood memories and abilities that focus on sector-wide buffs and spells. You will also gain 20 attribute points and may choose 1 additional benefit unique to your chosen Class.

Which ascendant path will you choose for your second epic Class?

I pursed my lips. The epic Classes on offer this time around were different from those the Game had proposed just a few short days ago. Was that because of my new Mark? Has to be.

Keeping my eyes closed, I relayed the options to the others.

“Sire wolf and den forefather?” Ceruvax muttered. “I know of no Wolf Prime who has ever been offered those Classes.”

I nodded thoughtfully. But Ceruvax’s remark, while interesting, had little bearing on my choice. I knew which Class I had to take this time around. “Sire wolf,” I breathed.

Higher evolution completed!

You have gained the epic Class, Sire Wolf.

Through words and deeds, you have shown yourself worthy of joining the venerated ranks of sire wolves. Throughout the annals of history, less than a handful of Wolves have been graced with such a title. Through this Class, you will gain access to some of the rarest and most potent gifts wolfkin has to offer.

Do not squander them, scion.

Like other champions, the sire wolf is often both the shield and sword of his bloodline. But where most champions frequently depend on their blood alone, the sire wolf also focuses on strengthening his ancient wolven heritage.

Your secret blood trait has been triggered! To conceal your bloodline, your new ascendant Class will be hidden.

You have gained the base trait: champion. As a champion, the strength of all your current and future blood memories has doubled.

Your champion trait has been triggered! 1 of 1 existing blood memories strengthened. Secret blood has been upgraded.

Secret blood (champion variant): Where ordinarily, secret blood conceals only your Wolf Marks, Classes, skills, and traits, the champion variant extends this protection to your familiar and followers. Their Wolf-related characteristics will be hidden from other Powers and players. If you so wish, you may also conceal your Wolf Marks from other wolves.

You are now a rank 1 champion. The number of sectors your faction may own has increased by +1, the followers you can bind by +100, and the number of active Pacts you may have by +10.

As a result of your new Class, you may choose 1 of the following 4 new ascendant Class benefits:

New benefit: lycan renewal. This trait enhances your shapeshifting blood memories by fully restoring your energy pools whenever you shift form.

New benefit: sire’s strain. This trait boosts all your existing and future wolf traits by +1 tier.

New benefit: blood caster. This trait reduces the cooldown of your active blood memories, allowing them to be used more often.

New benefit: elder form. This trait allows you to transform once a day into an elder wolf, the most powerful of all wolven subspecies.

Choose your ascendant Class benefit now.