CHAPTER 7 — Evolution Information
Warmth greeted me before consciousness fully did. I lay there for a moment just realizing how much has changed in what felt like a day or two. I felt my new rabbit body, and it was weird It wasn't unfamiliar, no it almost felt like from the beginning I could accept that I was now a rabbit.
I wondered if it was something my new brain. Did I have a rabbit's brain, but with a human's mind? Or maybe a human brain in a rabbits body? I wasn't sure about biology, and this world did have magic, and bearmen— so at this point I decided to stop thinking about that.
A soft heat radiated from the nearby fire pit—Garron must've lit it sometime during the night—filling the cave with a comforting glow that flickered gently across stone walls and furs. For a moment I didn't move. My body was too relaxed, too at peace in a way I hadn't felt since arriving in this world.
Since any world, honestly.
I shifted slightly, stretching my limbs. A content hum escaped me involuntarily. Garron's cave wasn't extravagant, but it felt safe. Welcoming. Lived in.
Then his voice rumbled from the other side of the cave.
"You wake earlier than most newborn hares."
Startled, my ears shot up. Garron wasn't lounging like last night—he sat cross-legged on a fur rug, sharpening a small bone-bladed knife with rhythmic precision. His humanoid form somehow looked more imposing than his bear form, large muscles shifting under his cloak, deep scars visible along his arms.
Yet his smile remained warm.
"Morning," I squeaked.
He chuckled, the sound deep and friendly. "Eat this. You've lost much energy."
He tossed a small wooden bowl my way. Inside were sliced roots and little chunks of something sweet-smelling—berries, maybe? I sniffed them cautiously.
"They're safe," Garron assured. "I would not feed a child poison."
Child.
The word felt strange but… nice. I was only 18 years old and I wasn't sure how old he was but I guess in the body of a newborn then yeah I'm a child.
I nibbled at the food. It was sweet. My stomach warmed instantly.
After a moment, Garron set down his blade.
"Kyree," he began, voice shifting to something deeper. "There are things you must understand before you evolve."
I swallowed my bite.
"Okay…"
He leaned back, folding his arms.
"As mentioned before your race, Snowbound Hares, carry ancient bloodlines tied to the primal forces of magic."
I blinked. "Primal forces?"
He nodded. "The oldest magics in the world. The roots of creation. Fire, frost, storm, stone… and rarer ones still." His gaze held mine. "Space. Time. Life. Dream."
My fur prickled.
"You say that as if my bloodline determines what magic I get."
"No, not so much determines," Garron corrected. "As it awakens."
He motioned toward me. "You already wield space magic, do you not?"
I stiffened. I wasn't sure if it was normal for a newborn to already use magic, so I didn't tell him about it. But it seems he already knew.
He noticed my discomfort immediately.
"Do not fear. I will not pry into your secrets," he said gently. "Snowbound Hares rarely gain magic at birth. Most never do. Those that do… are hunted."
My fur bristled instinctively.
"Hunted? Why?"
Garron hesitated… then sighed.
"This world is flawed, Kyree, remember this. It is not wicked, not hopeless. But flawed. Magic is power, and power is coveted." His voice dipped. "Snowbound Hare blood is used in alchemical rituals. Their fur sold as charms. Their bones believed to channel mana. Their flesh… restores vitality."
My stomach twisted.
People… ate them? I mean I guess I hear of people eating rabbit meat on earth and saying It tasted like chicken. But still... I was a rabbit now!
Garron continued, eyes dimming with old anger. "Even in the North, where races coexist more peacefully, greedy hunters from distant kingdoms, still come seeking your kind."
I swallowed hard.
"So… I'm basically walking treasure?"
He snorted. "Walking fortune or a sprinting delicacy. Take your pick."
"Great," I muttered. "Love that for me."
Garron smiled faintly at my sarcasm.
"But," he added, "those hunters rarely find this forest. Coldwood is old. It's enchanted. And I am its guardian."
I stared at him.
"You protect Snowbound Hares?"
"I protect life," he corrected quietly. "All forms of it. But your kind… are something special." He tapped his chest. "Even the Frost Goddess spoke of your line."
"The Frost Goddess…?"
He nodded. "Our land's deity. Protector of winter, guardian of cycles, shelter for the lost. The Northerners worship her as widely as the southern kingdoms worship their suns and saints."
I looked toward the cave entrance thoughtfully.
"And the kingdom? You said races coexist there?"
Garron gave a thoughtful hum. "In the Northern Realm of Willix, beastfolk, elves, humans, dwarves, even demons walk the streets without bloodshed. The cold breeds unity here. Survival demands cooperation."
I blinked.
"That's… surprisingly wholesome."
He chuckled. "Do not mistake unity for equality. Prejudices exist. But in the North, you will not be killed simply for having fur and beast ears."
I let out the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
"…Good to know." At least now I knew I could live relatively peacefully in the city.
Garron shifted, placing one knee on the ground, looking eye-level with me.
"Now, back to evolution," he said. "This is important to note. Evolution... it is not just growth. It is transcendence."
I sat a little straighter.
"What does evolution do or mean exactly?"
He clasped his hands. "It harmonizes your body and spirit. Refines your blood, and unlocks pathways within your mana. And most importantly…"
His gaze sharpened.
"It lets you choose your shape."
My ears perked.
"My shape…?"
"Yes. After your first evolution, your form becomes malleable. You may shift size. Change proportion. Even grow… new features."
"That sounds ridiculous."
"It is," Garron said proudly. "It is also, ridiculously powerful. I know of a hawk who has chosen their second form as a Phoenix, a rare, almost mythical bird. But for most beastfolk.and spiritkin they chose a more humanoid form for their first evolution. "
I couldn't argue with that. I wanted a human body as well, but then if there is a second chance after for a different form, then maybe I'll be a dragon or something.
"Second form? So you can Evolve more than once? And are there evolution tiers?" I asked.
He nodded. "There are three."
He held up one finger.
"First Evolution — Awakening Stage. This is where your spirit aligns with your flesh. You gain greater mana flow and It will let you form a secondary physical aspect. Most beasts stop here. Their power can be strong or weak, depending on their race, and evolution path, and magic."
He then lifted a second finger.
"The Second Evolution — Ascendant Stage. Only the strong endure this. At this stage your bloodline reveals a deeper trait. And most unlock a new set of magic, you may also unlock another form. This isn't always done as it cost more energy, I chose not to form a second form, instead I used the power to increase my elemental affinity. You can also add new magic pathways at this stage, If you have a RuinStone. I won't get into that now, since those are rarer than Evolution seeds.."
He tapped his chest.
"I stand at this stage. While I may not be at the top of the Ascendant Stage, I am defiantly stronger than most, I have protected this place for over 100 years."
He lifted a third finger.
"Back to the Third Evolution — the Apex Stage. This stage is a rarity. Only legends and calamities reach it. It's said their magic reshapes the world. Their bodies can defy nature, and their spirits… influence fate."
I felt my fur prickle.
"And after that?"
Garron smiled without humor.
"Anything beyond that… is lost to time or called a myth."
A quiet fell between us.
"So you think I could evolve to those levels?" I asked softly.
"Anyone can," Garron said. "But only the lucky, and the determined will."
He leaned forward.
"Evolution is not painless, Kyree. It will tear and rebuild you. It will exhaust your spirit. And if your will falters, it will kill you."
My heart thumped.
"Kill me…?"
"Yes. But do not fear." He placed a heavy hand on the ground beside me, the gesture oddly reassuring. "You have something rare."
"What's that?"
He smiled warmly.
"Stubbornness enough to live."
I blinked at him.
"…Thank you. I think?"
He laughed, deep and hearty, echoing through the cave.
After the laughter faded, Garron settled himself beside the fire, staring into the embers.
"You must know one more thing," he said quietly. "Evolution is not forced upon you. It reflects what lies within."
I tilted my head. "How do you mean?"
"Your spirit chooses the direction," he explained. "The bloodline only provides the foundation. Your nature—your desires—shape the result."
He touched his chest.
"My spirit longed to protect, to shelter. So my evolution leaned toward the aspect of protection. It granted me strength, endurance, and the power to protect people."
He gestured at me.
"You… have a different look in your eyes."
My ears twitched.
"What kind of look?" I asked curiously.
"A look that says you want to live, and be free to find your place, as a child should be." he said simply. "The seed will guide that wish… but your 'will' determines what form the freedom takes."
His words sat heavy in my chest.
If my will determines what kind of form I will evolve into, then I was determined to make a good human body.
A concept that gnawed at the edges of my entire existence. A desire I'd never had the chance to explore. Not until now.
Before I could respond, the cave trembled faintly—barely noticeable, but enough that Garron lifted his head.
We both sensed it.
A shift.
A hum in the air.
A pulse of magic rolling through Coldwood like a silent heartbeat.
Garron stood, cloak brushing the stones.
"The Seed," he murmured. "It is close."
My heart leapt.
He strode to the cave entrance, pulling aside the hide covering. Cold air rushed in, brushing my fur with icy fingers. The mountain forest outside shimmered with faint blue motes drifting through the air.
The world itself seemed to glow.
"Come," Garron said softly.
I hopped forward, pausing beside him at the edge of the cave.
The Evolution Node beneath the ancient tree… was changing.
The swirling light from yesterday now pulsed with sharp intention. Colors coalesced. Forms sharpened. The distortion in space around it grew clearer, more defined.
A single, condensed sphere of shimmering essence was taking shape.
My Evolution Seed.
Garron exhaled deeply.
"It will be ready soon," he said. "Perhaps by nightfall… or dawn tomorrow."
I stared, unable to tear my eyes away.
This thing… would change everything.
"What do I do until then?" I whispered.
Garron rested a warm hand on my back.
"Prepare your heart."
I looked up at him.
He looked down at me.
And the realization hit:
Tonight… or tomorrow…
I would stop being just a rabbit.
I would become something else.
Something more.