Aina paused, allowing Elias a moment to absorb the implications of Imbued Beasts. The afternoon sun had shifted, casting longer shadows across his room, but Elias remained captivated, his small face a mask of intense concentration. This was quite intriguing.
'So the animals of this world can also follow the path of ascension? Interesting.'
A few ideas came to his mind but he made mental notes that he would ponder and research on later. Meanwhile, Aina continued.
"The degree of Flow absorption determines the power of an Imbued Beast," Aina continued, picking up seamlessly from where she left off, her voice a steady, rhythmic drone that Elias found strangely soothing, despite the serious nature of the information.
"Some are barely stronger than their mundane counterparts, merely a bit faster or tougher, their Flow barely more than a faint shimmer. Others, those that have spent longer in high-Flow environments, or consumed more Flow-rich resources, can become significantly formidable."
She then moved to the next, more dangerous tier, her voice dropping slightly. "Beyond Imbued Beasts, there are the 'Awakened Beasts.' "
"Awakened Beasts," Aina explained, her voice hardening, each word precise and weighted with meaning, "are Imbued Beasts that have absorbed such a vast amount of Flow, within or a little over a century, that they have ascended past mere physical enhancement. They are no longer simply animals with amplified instincts. They are something far more powerful ,and dangerous."
She began to list their terrifying characteristics, painting a grim picture. "First, they gain rudimentary to moderate intelligence. They develop cunning, strategy, and often, a profound malice. They can plan, they can remember, they can even hold grudges, nursing ancient grievances. Second, they develop more potent and distinct Flow abilities, far beyond the rudimentary enhancements of Imbued Beasts. These abilities can sometimes mimic aspects of human Traits or elemental forces, like a bear projecting concussive force that can cause earthquakes with a stomp of its paws, or a serpent exuding a paralyzing miasma with its breath. They also further experience physical changes to accomodate their denser energy but they are still inherently tied to their beast nature, a twisted reflection of their original form. Thirdly, at this stage, their behavior often becomes more aggressive, more territorial, and they often hostile even when unprovoked. This is because their inherent Flow is turbulent constantly alternating between Flow and Anti-Flow. This and the fact that,even though they gain some semblance of a consciousness,some degree of intelligence, fundamentally,they are still animals and behave like animals,unable to calm the turbulence in their Souls at this stage. They can however completly hide their prescence, cover up the turbulence, making it as if they were not there. They do this by blending into the Flow around them literally going with the flow. It's kind of like how a poisonous viper hides in its surroundings, waiting to strike."
Aina's gaze sharpened, meeting Elias's eyes directly, a rare moment of intense connection.
"The creature you encountered when you used Flow Perception," Aina stated, her voice devoid of emotion, but with an undeniable, chilling weight, "was an Awakened Beast. Its ability to hide its presence, its malevolent intent… these are hallmarks of such a being. It is why it was so difficult for Lor-,Uncle Alaric and his knights to track, even with their experience. Oh yeah. The higher a beast ascends,the more spiritual it becomes. This means they slowly move to exist in an astral form existing as beings of pure spirituality and energy. Awakened beasts are 'Pseudo-Spiritual' in nature. They pretend to have astral compositions but in reality it's just a side effect of thier evolution."
Elias felt a fresh wave of fear, but also a grim, intellectual understanding. The monster im now had a name, and a terrifying set of capabilities. It was no longer a vague shadow, but a concrete threat.
"Beyond Awakened Beasts," Aina continued, her voice dropping to a near whisper, as if speaking of ancient, forbidden legends, "are the 'Apex Beasts.' These are even rarer, even more powerful. Awakened Beasts that have existed for several centuries and have calmed down the turbulence within them growing in strength in either Flow or Anti-flow , often becoming territorial rulers of vast, untamed wildernesses, or ancient, solitary forces of nature. They exist as 'Quasi-Spiritual'. At this stage they gain a few astral characteristics but are still mostly,mortal for lack of better word.Their power is immense in its raw destructive potential, capable of leveling several cities with a single, uncontrolled surge of Flow. Everything previously mentioned, their intelligence,their abilities,the physical appearance all change drastically in response to their much more potent Flow."
She then introduced the pinnacle of beast evolution, her voice holding a hint of reverence, a subtle awe that Elias had never before detected in her.
"And then, there are the 'Mythical Beasts' ."
"Mythical Beasts are Apex Beasts that have absorbed such colossal quantities of Flow over thousands of years that they become intertwined with the very Ley Lines themselves become beings akin to natural disasters. They are 'Semi-Spitutual' in nature. They become half Astral beings meaning they can't be hurt by physical weapons and can temporarily enter into the Astral plane. They gain more astral characteristics as well as a boost in the old ones they got.Their power can reshape landscapes, cause natural disasters, and their intelligence is on par with, or even surpasses, that of humans. They are often unique, singular entities, their existence woven into the very legends of Aerthos, their forms often shifting and ethereal, barely recognizable as their original beast type. There's a legend about a Mythical Beasts, 'The Thunderbird' that was capable of shattering continents with its lightning and causing world-wide storms with the flap of its wings. Lesser beings would go insane by looking at it and thier minds would be shattered by its shriek,the insanity simply because it was difficult to process the power it possesed. That is the level of mythical beasts. Not much else is known about this class aside thier lethality as they either slumber or operate outside our perception."
"And finally," Aina concluded, her voice a hushed pronouncement, "the 'Divine Beasts'.These are the absolute pinnacle. These are beings who have lived for an unknown amount of time, probably eons. At this stage,they become fully astral forms,existing as beings made of pure Flow, often themselves worshipped as minor deities or fundamental forces of nature by some sects and religious groups. Their very existence can bend Space,influence Time, alter Reality, and even affect Flow on an incomprehensible scale. They are the rarest with some debate surrounding thier existence. Some believe they exist. Otherwise believe they are just figures of fantasy.The theory of progression does point to the possibility that they exist but for some reason scholars are arguing about it." Aina sighed and shrugged
" They are mentioned in passing by accounts from previous "Era's" though these records are too damaged to drive enough information from."
'Era's? Oh yeah. It would be quite strange if this world had no history and no previous stages before the current time I'm in. Just like C.E,B.C,A.D back in my world. I wonder how long it takes to make up an era. I'll search more about it later.'
Elias sat in stunned silence, his mind struggling to grasp the sheer, terrifying scale of what Aina was describing. From a mundane deer, barely a whisper of Flow, to a being that could reshape the world with a mere thought. It was a terrifying, yet awe-inspiring.
Progression, a testament to the raw power of Flow itself.
" We humans follow the path of 'Ascension'. Beasts mirror this ladder of growth. What they follow is the path of 'Evolution'," Aina continued, her gaze fixed on him, a subtle intensity in her eyes.
She drew the direct parallel, making the abstract concepts feel intimately connected to his own journey.
"In summary,just as humans absorb Flow to strengthen their Spirit-Domains,Thier souls,to ascend and develop unique Traits, beasts absorb ambient Flow to evolve. And just as human ascension brings physical and mental changes – increased resilience, sharper senses, enhanced cognitive abilities, a longer lifespan – so too do beasts undergo transformations."
"Their forms might become more imposing, their hides tougher, their scales harder, their claws sharper, their senses keener. But more importantly, their minds become more complex. An Awakened Beast is cunning; an Apex Beast can strategize; a Mythical Beast can reason and even communicate with humans, if they choose. Their intelligence grows with their power, allowing them to think, to plan, to manipulate, just as humans do. They are not merely beasts; they are evolving entities, driven by the same fundamental force that drives us all. Do you understand it now little brother?"
Elias nodded. He felt a profound shift in his understanding of the world around him. It was not just a place of humans and simple animals. It was a vibrant, dangerous ecosystem of evolving Flow-beings, each tier more terrifying than the last. His encounter with the Awakened Beast now felt even more significant, a chilling introduction to a hidden world of power and peril. He was a tiny human, with a boundless Spirit-Domain, in a world teeming with ancient, powerful creatures.
The thought was both exhilarating and deeply unsettling.
' Wait, little brother?'