Daggat moved over to a comfortable-looking mound of dirt and plopped down. Massive insects scattered. He lifted a particularly fat grub with telekinesis and popped it in his mouth.

"So," he said between chews, "Spirit Beast, mind if I ask a few questions?"

"Do you choose trial by riddle?"

"That's an option? Wait, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Before any challenges, I mean. Just talk."

"It is… unorthodox. But, allowed."

"How do you work? I beat you at riddles or combat or whatever… then what?"

"Then you are bestowed a mark. The mark of the forest."

"Then I can level up and evolve, yeah?"

"Indeed, as well as gaining the mark itself. Attribute boosts to constitution and strength. An infused biotrait, determined by your nature."

Daggat grinned, "Ooh… that's like an evolution on its own."

The assistant floated towards it, "Hello, you said something about being my cousin?"

"Of course, little seed. We spirits share a kinship."

"Seed?" asked Daggat.

Bobby made a whining noise, "Daggat, why did you bring me here? My chest still hurts."

"Hold on," Daggat said to the spirit beast, "What, Bobby?"

"Why did-"

"Oh, the tree did. This place has a lot of forest essence. That reminds me. You gotta do the next step, bud."

"The next step? To what?"

"You are the Keeper of the Forest, right? Well, you've got to continue down that path. You know how, right?"

The assistant was talking to the spirit beast. Daggat would get the conversation later.

Bobby growled, "I don't want to."

Daggat was afraid something like this would happen. "Why not?"

He made another whining noise, then held the sides of his head, "I don't want to… It's too scary."

Daggat laughed, "You're the scariest thing in this forest."

"Am not," he chuckled. Then he sighed, "I don't know what will happen. I've tried before… it hurt."

"Hurt how?"

"I felt like… I was becoming not me. Like the spirit was taking over and making me into something new."

"Woof, I know that feeling."

"You do?"

"Sure do. When I was fighting… I had to overdose on potion. It threatened to change me. But… I pushed through. Still me."

"How?"

"I got mad. Then I watched how hard my friends fought for me. I pushed through for them." Daggat knew how Bobby worked by now. His heart was just so big and malleable.

"But… if I continue, then I won't be… I don't know. The same? Mortal or monster."

Daggat shrugged, "What's that matter?"

"Won't people not like that?"

"I won't mind. Neither will any of your other friends. And anyone who would care isn't worth thinking about."

"I don't have other friends."

"Really? Friendly guy like you? I don't believe it."

"I… stayed away. From people, I mean. It's been many years since I even spoke to anyone."

"Then… why did you approach us?"

Bobby shrugged, "I still listen. I heard Anath's story. If she could still… live, after what happened to her, I guess I could, too." Bobby stared up at the tree, "It's so beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is. Just like that tree that was used to save your life." Daggat waited for the distressed Bobby noises to end, "Let's make sure it's sacrifice was worth it, yeah? This is what it's for. The next step in Bobby's story."

Bobby stared at Daggat for an uncomfortable while, "Are you really my friend? You act like it. But- WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR ARM!?"

Daggat's arm had drifted out of position. He moved it back, "Just a flesh wound, it's fine. And I AM your friend. You bought that, fair and square. Now you have to live with the consequence of having me as a friend, and that means taking the next step in your life. The days of Bobby Blue Eyes are over. It's time to step up and be the keeper this forest needs."

Bobby thought for a long moment, "Okay, I'll try."

"Great! So, what do you have to do, exactly? I have a passing interest."

"The tree told me I must bring the sp- uh, essence into myself. More and more until I am about to burst, then more. Then when my body burns away… remake it."

"Yikes. That sounds difficult. Well… best to get started, then."

Bobby moved to the top of a stone and relaxed. He didn't take up any special meditative positions; he simply sat comfortably and closed his eyes.

At first, nothing happened. Then, Daggat watched the dense forest essence begin to siphon towards him.

"MASTER, LOOK OUT!"

Daggat rolled out of the just as the spirit beast roared into action. It bulled past him and swiped a huge paw at Bobby. The druid tumbled away, screaming in pain.

"What the hell? SPIRIT BEAST! We haven't started!" Daggat screamed.

"A demon in the making. Its journey stops now." The beast glanced at Daggat, "Goblin, help me slay the abomination, and your challenge will be complete."

Bobby rolled over, "What's happening?!"

"Invisible monster, buddy. Going to take care of it first… then you can continue."

The beast growled at him, "You side with the demon-to-be? Foolish creature."

"Master," the assistant said, hovering close, "if you slay the beast, you will attain its mark."

Daggat cursed. He did not want the mark of the forest. He planned to shop around a bit, look for one that suited him. He'd be damned if he would let this beast prevent him from doing so.

The beast moved towards Bobby, and Daggat ran to intercept. He wielded his spear in one hand, allowing his rotting arm to fall to the side.

"Bobby, an invisible monster is trying to stop us. We can't kill it. Got anything that can… I don't know… defend yourself with?"

Without a word, the essence around Bobby surged. The druid reached into the earth, then ripped upwards. Thick, living roots burst from the ground around him, twisting to his will. Then they spiraled around him, forming a cocoon.

Daggat was forced to leap out of the way as the beast swiped its antlers just where he was standing. "Very well, I will slay you first," it said.

The swarm of creatures started to bite and sting. Daggat was forced to smack away squirrels, birds, and giant insects. It was like every critter in the forest had decided to try to eat Daggat. Some sort of aura.

"Potion, sir?" The assistant asked.

Daggat thought while he fought. The beast was relentless, using its bulk to attack in wide sweeps while Daggat had to contend with the critters. What potion would be best suited for this situation? Night Stalker was out. It simply wasn't useful for Daggat. Drakeheart was out. He just befriended the trees; burning them was the last thing he wanted to do. Regeneration was always useful, but where it gave him longevity in combat, he was still vulnerable to massive damage, and it didn't give him any extra edge in combat.

Then there were his newer potions. Nightmare was just a delight to use, but he couldn't see how it would be helpful here. Then there was his last potion. Anath had used it in the big battle, but Daggat hadn't tried it himself yet. It was bone essence, mostly. Which, as an essence, intrigued Daggat. But it was a risk. He didn't know what it would do. He had named this potion Bone Spirit.

Daggat grinned to himself, "Give me Bone Spirit."

The assistant cackled, "Living as dangerously as this, Master, and you won't need a potion for a skeletal experience." Nevertheless, it withdrew the potion from the inventory and floated it towards him.

It tasted like chalk and dried meat. Just as he drank, the spirit beast slammed a giant paw in his direction. Daggat simply locked his spear and let the beast batter it.

He felt ancient. As old as the trees, if not older. Not weakened and old, simply… ever present. The effects of the bone essence settled over him, numbing his thoughts and his pain. His wounded arm no longer hurts. Nothing did. Pain tolerance. That was helpful, allowed him to focus.

Daggat didn't notice the critters eating away at his flesh, and he didn't notice his skin and muscles sizzling away.

The beast charged him again, this time foiled by Daggat kicking a rotting log. He used his tactile telekenesis to clobber the beast with it, shattering it into a pile of rotted wood and insects.

Running away from the monster, Daggat felt light. He did not feel the drain on his stamina. It wasn't that he was energetic, but more so that he simply did not use stamina as he ran. When he had a moment, he checked the benefits.

-4 constitution, -4 strength, +4 will. The statistics were a tad different than what he was familiar with. More penalties than benefits. But it granted him Pain Tolerance with the numb perk, and something called Lifeless Imitation.

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Daggat's bones clattered as he leaped back from another swipe. He blocked another with his spear, then watched as his own rotting arm slapped the beast's head away, forcing its bite to miss.

The Assistant was using Daggat's arm as a bludgeon, smacking and distracting it.

His laugh came out in dry wheezes. Then he felt something tickle at his chest. He looked down.

Most of his flesh had fallen away, leaving bones and organs exposed. A spirit squirrel was climbing inside his exposed ribcage, chewing at an organ. He grabbed it with telekinesis and threw it away. Then he considered his organs. This was an opportunity he couldn't pass up.

Normally, he would be disgusted or frightened by such horror. But the bone essence disassociated him from the flesh. That, and he was used to a bit of body mutilation by now. He had the standard organs he had seen while dissecting critters as a young gremlin. The heart, lungs, stomach, and so on. But the glowing fire core intrigued him the most. It was held in place by metallic wires, which he had seen on other cores. It was organic, no doubt about it, and it glowed with heat. The light illuminated the interior of the core, showing it to be mostly hollow, with a helix of those metallic strands crisscrossing back and forth.

While he was engaged in his self-autopsy, Daggat used his telekinesis to hurl stones, sticks, and branches. That, combined with the occasional slap from the Assistant, the beast was plenty distracted. He inched his way out of the beast's aura to protect his vital organs from sharp teeth. This form was more vulnerable than most.

Bobby's cocoon was siphoning more forest essence from the surrounding area. It began to glow from within.

With a crunch, the beast managed to bite Daggat's dead arm and splinter it.

"Ah, come on. Really?" Daggat's voice came out dry and forced, "Do you know how hard it is to get an arm these days?"

The spirit beast spoke with fury enough to shake the forest, "You are no demon, yet you grasp their power as if it were your own. That makes you just as foul. When both your kind and theirs are ash, the world will be cleansed."

"I get it, you hate demons. Boo hoo. But this is alchemy, beasty. Much more fun."

Daggat and the Beast began their dance again. Which is to say, Daggat ran from it as fast as he could, while taunting it. The Assistant and his telekinetic efforts went to protecting his organs from the beast's aura. Whenever the beast came close, it got caught up in an unseen hole, or leaves landed over its eyes. The hex aura at work.

Without having to worry about stamina, he could go on for days if he needed to. But the potion did not last that long. By the time it was nearing its end, Bobby's cocoon was glowing even brighter, like a lantern.

"Hold strong, Bobby. Just… if you fail, I'll probably get killed. No pressure, though." He boomed. Whatever process was going on in the roots was too slow. The essence around him was thinning. He searched for a way to help. He had no forest essence potions or cores. Something in the environment?

Suddenly, his arm flared with pain. The potion wore off. The regrowth of his muscles, nerves, and skin was not as painful as he'd expected, but it was far from comfortable. It came with the buzzing sensation of a limb that had fallen asleep, but through his entire body.

His lapse in focus allowed the beast to close in on him. Daggat rolled under it, but the beast kicked back, scratching Daggat down his back and sending him flying.

Daggat bounced on his bad arm, then rolled through a painful bush. His vision flashed white after he knocked his head on a tree; it seemed his concussion from before still had some lingering effects.

Aching, Daggat had some distance from him at least. Rather than finishing Daggat off, the beast instead turned on Bobby. Did it assume Daggat had died from that one attack? Well, almost, but he was still breathing. It pawed and bit at the roots, ripping them away. Eventually, the spirit beast would reach the vulnerable innards.

It would take a bit of time, however. While Daggat tried his best to ignore the overwhelming pain, he focused on the forest essence. Now that it had thinned a bit, Daggat could see there were sources of the essence. A small sapling with emerald leaves, a patch of moss that seemed to glow, and the skull of a deer, which was being feasted upon by the forest itself. Small, little avatars of the forest as a whole, each saturated with so much essence, they were leaking it. The largest of these sources was the heart of the forest itself, the massive tree.

These would make fine alchemy ingredients, Daggat thought. But for now, they would be better served to speed along Bobby's transformation. Along with the ingredient, Daggat spotted a few details in the environment that would suit him. A pool of fish, some fallen trees, and a couple of stones. An idea was forming. So as not to alert the beast that he was still alive, Daggat messaged the plan to the assistant.

Daggat and the assistant worked together to slowly gather these ingredients. They used telekinesis to unearth them and move them closer.

Finally, the beast tore through the last of the roots, exposing Bobby from within. His face was wracked in pain, and green essence was crackling through his body like lightning. He was even hovering, suspended by vines and saplings that grew around him. He was like a giant sitting within a forest.

Daggat threw the spear, stabbing the beast in the rear. Not enough to kill it, Daggat would have to work a lot harder to actually kill the beast, but enough to get its attention.

The beast turned on him and roared.

Daggat made little kissing noises with his mouth, "here beasty, beasty, beasty. Come. FOCUS ON ME."

With nothing else to do, Daggat hobbled forward and activated every ability he had left. Hypnotic Gaze. Death Gaze would have no effect; the beast was of the spirit world. He spoke with a beguiling voice. At the same moment, he pulled the spear back towards him like an arrow, then caught it.

"For a challenge, this is pretty easy." Daggat said, "Maybe I'll do the next one with a hand behind my back."

Enraged, the beast leaped into the air. The swarm of birds around it seemed to carry it through the air. But Daggat activated lunge and flew to one side. Meanwhile, the assistant started moving the ingredients around Bobby.

Daggat spotted the small pool being fed by a stream. He ran in front of it, "You've got to watch where you are going." Daggat found that constant movement was the key to thwarting its aura. Only when you were still did it have time to nip and peck.

This time, the beast dashed low. It was alarmingly fast, but Daggat was ready with a plan. He lunged again, upwards. The beast skidded past him and fell face-first into the pool and the mud. Daggat landed on its rump.

"Told you."

Daggat shoved the spear between its antlers, which were halfway under water, and locked it. The beast thrashed, but was stuck. No bubbles rose from the water, so it was not likely to drown. As soon as the beast was locked in, Daggat slid off the beast and gripped a large stone. He used tactile telekinesis to drop it on the spirit beast just in time for the spear's lock to end. As it struggled with the stone, Daggat dropped a rotten log on it. Then another, and another large stone. Again and again, he piled random forest floor debris atop the beast.

Soon, he had built a dam over the beast.

Returning his attention to Bobby, he noticed his plan had succeeded. More essence was filling the space around him, drawn from the… Daggat would need a word for essence-infused objects. Totems felt right.

Bobby was screaming, a sound that was recently drowned out by the thrashing of the beast. His body seemed to be burning. Bright green veins of magic cracked through him.

Soon, it overwhelmed his body. The screaming stopped. Within the half-broken cocoon, Bobby had become a pure soul, made entirely out of essence. Then, in a flash, it snapped together, hardening into a new form.

On new, shaking legs, Hrodebert, Keeper of the Forest, stood. His limbs creaked like branches.

"How are you feeling, Bobb- nah… that's not right. What's it short for?" Bobby was the sappy wodewose, not this creature.

"Hrodebert." His voice was somehow deeper than before. He took a step forward. His trunk-like legs snapped the roots that were already taking hold; each step was met with the same, as though each movement unearthed a small tree. "Different. The world is different."

Daggat looked up at him. He was a good two feet taller than before. "How so?"

Hrodebert looked at his hands. Where they were hairy before, now they were mossy and bark-like. He scratched a beard of vines and leaves. "The status is gone. I cannot use the status void."

Daggat noted the Assistant collecting, "Do you still have your abilities?" Interestingly, Hrodebert's aura was unchanged from what it was before.

He waved a hand, and the forest shimmered beneath it. Plants grew and insects wriggled. "Yes, my druid powers are intact." He raised a hand to his face, which was similar to the Alchemists. A face of living wood, "I cannot breathe."

The pile of debris shifted, "Ah, well, you don't seem worse from it, let's get out of here. Can you open the tree?"

Hrodebert nodded and stepped towards the tree. He walked slowly, without any eagerness. It was somber, but not as sad as he was before. Resigned, perhaps. Daggat had the sense that what Bobby went through was more impactful than simply changing his body. But his wound was healed completely.

Now, Daggat had to hunt a Demon Hunter.

Daggat

True Name: Daggat Soul: Monster

Genseed: gremlin [ 3 Str, 4 Dex, 3 Con, 2 Int, 3 Wil, 3 Cha; Regenerating Teeth, Rot Resistance; Tiny Size] Genbloom: goblin [ +2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con, +1 Int, +1 Wil; Scavenger; Small Size]

Base size: Small [Largest Size: Goblin]

Monster Level: 15

Attributes (0/10)(base growth, +5; Devotion, +1; growth potions, +4): Strength: 11 (Base 8; Class/Genesis +2; Devotion +1) Dexterity: 11 (Base 9; Class/Genesis +2;) Constitution: 11 (Base 8; Class/Genesis +2; Growth +1) Intelligence: 20 (Base 7; Class/Genesis +1; Growth +2; Variant +10) Will: 10 (Base 8, Class/Genesis +1; Growth +1) Charm: 16 (Base 8, Growth +8)

Feats: True Angel - Encounter a true angel. Reward: Skill choice unlocks. Mighty Intellect - Raise Intelligence base to 15. Reward: +1 Skill point. Fledgling Alchemist - Successfully brew an alchemical potion. Reward: Alchemy skill. System Knowledge - Discover the system. Reward: System Aptitude skill. Devotion [Layered feats] - Offer a prayers to Sahrzuel, Ithrenial, Mythraziel, Vaelion, and Zenthaviel. Reward: Experience gain, +2 skill points, +1 random ability, +1 growth point, +1 biotrait. Usurper - Slay a previous or current party leader. Reward: One level in Party Leader. Touch of Death - Perform two of the following: die and return to life, survive an untethered's life - draining attack, or perform the rite of Mihr. Reward: Death sight. Reborn by Fire - Remain immersed in flame for a full day. Reward: Fire Core. Devilishly Charming - Raise charm base to 15. Reward: Party Leader skill. Aura Master - Obtain two different sources of an aura. Reward: Condense Aura Victor - Successfully led a large force against another. Reward: One Skill point. Note: This skill point may only be spent on tactics, logistics, or leadership divine skills. Recursion - Be affected by a recursive effect. Reward: Infinite Limiter.

Skills(1/6)(Mortal Level, 0, Devotion, +2; Mighty Intellect, +1; Skill Potions +2; Victor +1): Alchemy: 1 [Source: Fledgling Alchemist] System Aptitude: 1 [Source: System Knowledge] System Assistant: 2 [Perk: Semi-sentience] SP SPENT = 2 [Synergy]Mind Codex: 1 --Mental Notes: 1 SP SPENT = 1 --Copy Tome: 1 (Natural skill: Literacy) SP SPENT = 1 Party Leader: 2 [Source: Usurper, Devilishly Charming; Perk: Party Loot] Lunge: 1 (Natural skill: Spearmanship) SP SPENT = 1 Condense Aura: 1 [Source: Aura Master] Infinite Limiter

Notable Natural Skills: Literacy: Apprentice Spearmanship: Apprentice Acrobatics: Apprentice

Biotraits (1/15) (Monster Level, +14; Devotion, +1):

Regenisis: Goblin; BP SPENT = 1

Inherited Biotraits: Regenerating Teeth [Source: Gremlin] Enhanced Night Vision [Source: Gremlin] Disease Resistance [Mutations: Rot Resistance; Source: Gremlin] Scavenger [Source: goblin]

Standard Biotraits: [Synergy]Temperature Resistant Skin --Fire Resistant Skin; BP SPENT = 1 --Cold Resistant Skin; BP SPENT = 1 [Synergy]Beguiling Presence --Hypnotic Gaze [Mutations: Dominating Gaze, Mesmerizing Gaze] BP SPENT = 3 --Hypervocal Cords [Mutations: Beguiling Voice] BP SPENT = 2 [Synergy]Second Sight --Aura Sight [Mutations: Ambient Aura Sense] BP SPENT =2 --Death Sight [Mutations: Death Gaze; Source: Touch of Death] BP SPENT =1 Telekinesis [Mutations: Mind over Matter (Boon), Tactile Telekinesis] BP SPENT =2 Hex Aura BP SPENT =1

Core Biotraits: Core: Fire [Source: Reborn by Fire]

Other: Variant: +10 Intelligence; Enhanced vocabulary Skill potions used: 2/5 Growth potions used: 2/5

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