Borin lets out a hearty laugh, not seeming the least bit offended by Tako's playful gaze. "Ha! You'd have to catch me first, little one!" he booms, flexing a bicep. "And even then, I bet I taste like old leather and dwarven ale."
Finn watches the exchange with wide eyes, looking from Borin to Tako. "You can absorb blessings too?" he asks, his voice filled with awe. "That's... that's incredible. To think you could gain the power of a God's blessing just by eating someone."
Lyra's expression remains neutral, but her mind is racing with the implications of Tako's abilities. "So if you were to consume one of us," she begins, her tone measured, "you would gain our skills and perhaps our blessings as well?" Kael nods slowly, a thoughtful look on his face. "It would be a powerful advantage in battle," he muses.
"First off, I like the taste of leather and ale so you're definitely on the menu, Borin" Tako says returning the playful laughter and banter. "And do you seriously think you can outrun 13 clones 11 of whom can fly?" Tako gestures around them, reality on how trapped they would be if they chose to fight or flee settling in for just a moment. "But I won't eat a friend unless they ask."
"Also Finn, I didn't gain the blessings of the Gods by eating, I was blessed by them because I built them a shrine and prayed and gave them well thought out offerings. As a scholar's apprentice you may have read about the importance of making sure an offering is something the god values."
"And Lyra yes I could gain some of your skills and abilities but for all we know I could gain one stat in agility and a relatively useless skill like embroidery or table setting. Although those are skills I'm likely to obtain from Finn, from you Lyra... I bet you're most useless skills would be folk dancing or lute playing am I right? Lastly Kael is battle the only thing you think about?"
Borin throws his head back and laughs, a deep, rumbling sound. "Ha! You've got a sharp tongue on you, little one. I like that." He leans forward conspiratorially. "But if you ever do decide to eat me, make sure to cook me well. I'm tougher than I look." Tako laughs joyfully alongside the dwarf "That crystal was tough too yet I ate it whole and raw. Don't you know meat is better rare? The redder the better so maybe I'll drown you in ale first once I get some brewed"
Finn blushes slightly at the mention of embroidery and table setting. "Well, those are useful skills too!" he protests weakly. "And maybe lute playing wouldn't be so bad." He glances at Lyra with a hopeful expression. Meanwhile Tako chuckles at his embarrassment. "You're not wrong, I meant useless in battle."
Lyra sighs, crossing her arms. "Folk dancing and lute playing? Really? Those are your guesses?" She shakes her head, but there's a hint of amusement in her eyes. "You're not entirely wrong, though I'm better with a sword than either of those." Tako smiles at Lyra putting on a strong front. "Relax I'm not questioning the process of someone who carries two swords with grace. There is a saying I've heard, it takes a year to learn to wield a sword and ten to learn to wield two."
Kael huffs with indignation at Tako's accusation about battle being his only focus. "Of course not." And Tako's smile widens. "So that's a yes." They looked at the other former slaves for confirmation and notices Gimli eyeing the quartz crystals with a hungry look and sighs, handing the old dwarven prospector a small one. "I'm only giving you one and only one. Just because you're the only other person who seems to appreciate a good crystal" The main clone smiles as the old dwarf takes it and munches it happily.
After a little while more of conversation the growing smell of the roasting boars and boiling stews becomes overwhelming as the meals finally reach completion. Tako serves many generous helpings to their new friends. The many bodies and hands of the clones making light work and keeping plates, bowls, and cups full.
Despite the lack of alcohol, the atmosphere grows gradually more and more lively. Soon enough Lyra has retrieved a lute from her own spatial storage bag and started to play a tavern song. Gimli pulls out a pan flute and shows that this old prospector has many great talents. Meanwhile Finn takes control of the singing, showing off a set of vocal cords and voice control that Tako did not expect from the young scholar. Finn's voice rings out clear and melodic, singing a traditional ballad of heroes and adventure. Lyra's fingers dance expertly across the lute strings, providing a lively accompaniment. Gimli's pan flute adds a haunting, ethereal melody that weaves through the other instruments
Borin claps along heartily, his deep voice joining in on the chorus. "Sing it, lad! That's a fine tune!" he bellows, raising his mug of kealon juice in a toast. The dwarf only helping to liven up the treetop cavern Talon in dragon form thumps the center trunk with their tail in rhythm.
Kael sits back against the center tree trunk, his eyes closed as he listens to the music. A rare smile plays on his lips, his usual stoic expression softened by the festive atmosphere. Thorne devours plate after plate, skewer after skewer, as if trying to compete with the clones. Most of whom have stuffed their bellies to twice the size of their bodies adding to the fun of the evening.
As the song reaches its crescendo, Finn's voice soars above the music, and the entire cavern seems to vibrate with the energy of it. The clones cheer and clap along, their joyous noise echoing off the wooden walls. Even Kael is swaying slightly to the rhythm, his foot tapping against the floor.
When the final note fades away, there's a moment of stunned silence before the group erupts into applause. Borin leaps to his feet, letting out a deafening cheer. "That was incredible! You've got a voice like a god, lad!" he shouts, slapping Finn on the back hard enough to make him stumble.
Finn beams with pride, bowing slightly to his new friends. "Thank you! You've said that every time the elves made me sing. Though it's nice to have a choice for once and to have such talented accompaniment." He winks at Lyra, who smiles warmly in return.
The celebration starts to wind down after another hour of songs and conversation, as without the effects of alcohol the long hard journey forced upon the former slaves by the elves takes it's toll. The party having already dragged on longer than they could handle due to the effects of good food and even better company. The new residents of the Tako tree tower fall asleep one by one in the treetop cavern.
Once the last one is asleep Tako finally has a chance to focus on digestion. As the clones sit in place, all except for the dragons, having ridiculously distended bellies. They start the 4 squared method of breathing, having found that it allows them to speed up digestion greatly, and also keep greater benefits. While they breathe and digest, they focus on gaining as much as they possibly can from everything they have consumed. The also put extra concentration in the elves and bones and animals. Having extra forms would greatly improve future possibilities.
Eventually, about 2 and a half hours after they started the digestion cycle, the clones all sit with flat bellies and a mind filled with a myriad of notifications. Since it would probably take all night to go through each and every notification, they once again decide to skip right to checking the full status. And it was a good thing too, just look at all that new information.
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Status:
Name: Tako
Species: Dragonkin/Tiefling/Human hybrid (+9 Species: Vampie, Dragon, Elf, Orc, Dwarf, Forest Sea Bristleback Boar, Forest Sea Blue Wolf, Flyk, Horned Rabbit)
Age: 12
Level: 17
Health: 1865/1865
Mana: 1840/1840
Bending: 1715/1715
Skills:
Species Form Shift lvl NA, Tracker Spores lvl. 3, Root Laying lvl. 4, Woodcarving lvl. 8, Bark Working lvl. 1, Knifework lvl. 8, Vine work lvl.1 Knotter lvl. 2, Cooking lvl. 7, Knife wielding lvl. 3, Skinning lvl. 2, Mana Manipulation lvl. 10, Magic Manipulation lvl. 8, Sword wielding lvl. 3, Attalacian Swordsmanship lvl. 2, Tracking lvl. 3, Piercing Stab lvl. 4, Earth Magic lvl. 3, Silent Casting lvl. 1, Earthbending lvl. 8, Energy Accumulation lvl. 12, Firebending lvl. 2, Airbending lvl. 1, Waterbending lvl. 1, Plant Manipulation Magic lvl. 1, Plantbending lvl. 4, Metalbending lvl. 3, Fire Magic lvl. 1, Air Magic lvl. 1, Water Magic lvl. 1, Light Magic lvl. 1, Shadow Magic lvl. 1, Darkness Magic lvl. 1, Poison Magic lvl. 1, Lightning Magic lvl. 1, Cloud Magic lvl. 1, Barrier Magic lvl. 1, Spatial Magic lvl. 1, Metal Magic lvl. 1, Mental Magic lvl. 1, Healing Magic lvl. 1, Taming Magic lvl. 1, Hunting lvl. 5, Trapping lvl. 1, Air And Spirit Combination Magic lvl. 1, Necromancy lvl. 1, Spirit Magic lvl. 1, Silk Weaving lvl. 3, Twilight Weaving lvl. 2 Embroidery lvl. 2 Twilight Archery lvl. 6 Singing lvl. 2, Elven Etiquette lvl. 2, Lyre Playing lvl. 3, Twilight Fencing lvl. 3, Impale lvl. 1, Boar Call lvl. 1, Root lvl. 2, Bird Call lvl. 1, Screech lvl. 2, Bite lvl. 1, Howl lvl. 1, Growl lvl. 1 Club Wielding lvl. 4, Pelt Tanning lvl. 2, Roar lvl. 1, Berserk lvl. 1, Axe Wielding lvl. 3, Dwarven Smithing lvl. 1, Bear Fruit lvl. 4, Poison Spores lvl. 2, Sleep Spores lvl. 1, Branch Out lvl. 2, Rough edge lvl. 2, Stone Fist lvl. 1, Crystalize lvl. 3,
Spells:
Dig lvl. 4, Earth Wall lvl. 3, Grow lvl. 5, Small Flame lvl. 1, Air Ball lvl. 1, Water Ball lvl. 1, Light Ball lvl. 1, Shadow Ball lvl. 1, Dark Ball lvl. 1, Poison Ball lvl. 1, Lightning Ball lvl. 1, Cloud Ball lvl. 1, Small Barrier lvl. 1, Gate lvl. 1, Storage lvl. 1, Gather Iron lvl. 2, Pleasant Dreams lvl. 1, Heal lvl. 1, Dragon Hair Cutter lvl. 1, Raise Zombie lvl. 1, Summon Spirit lvl. 1, Flight lvl. 3, Crystalize lvl. 2,
Passive Skills:
Anxiety lvl. 2, Cloning lvl. 3, Vision Master lvl. 1, Death Whisper lvl. 1, Photosynthesis lvl. 11, Plant Identification lvl. 8, Aromatic scent lvl. 7, Animal Identification lvl. 4, Heightened Hearing lvl. 5, Heightened smell lvl. 6, Mineral Identification lvl. 4, Stone Body lvl. 4, Earthen Strength lvl. 4, Blessing Identification lvl. N/A, Vampire Cloning lvl. N/A, Spirit Communication lvl. N/A, Nature Communication lvl. 3, Enhanced Sight lvl. 2, Poison Resistance lvl. 5, Light Refraction lvl. 3, Crystal Tuning lvl. 2, Mineral absorption lvl. 3, Elemental Absorption lvl. 2, Bark Skin lvl. 3,
Blessings:
(all) Vore, Vore ability absorption, Languages of the Infinite Minor Blessing, Skill Creation, Spell Creation, (Temporary) Blessing of the Forest Sea, Blessing of the Undead Goddess, Blessing of the Dragon God, Blessing of the Merchant God, Blessing of The Magic God, Blessing of the Goddess of Creativity, Blessing of the Spirit Goddess, Blessing of the Nature God, Blessing of the Element God, Blessing of the God of Possibilities, Blessing of the God of Death, Blessing of the God of Life, Twilight Blessing, Blessing of the Forge,
Titles:
One who is blessed by the Twelve Gods
Tames:
Bob (Mushroom Stock Slime), Tsar (Healing slime), Ford (Sanitization slime)
Strength: 48 --> 207 (+120)
Toughness: 51 --> 203 (+170)
Hardness: 14 --> 161 (+120)
Speed: 37 --> 191 (+120)
Agility: 26 --> 184 (+120)
Endurance: 51 --> 211 (+120)
Alertness: 49 --> 204 (+120)
Dexterity: 21 --> 174 (+120)
Flexibility: 16 --> 163 (+120)
Perception: 44 --> 195 (+120)
Intelligence: 36 --> 188 (+120)
Wisdom: 44 --> 198 (+170)
Defense: 47 --> 205 (+120)
Willpower: 42 --> 190 (+120)
Luck: 23 --> 175 (+120)
Spirit: 20 --> 177 (+120)
Force: 33 --> 180 (+120)
Chakra: 15 --> 173 (+170)
Toxicity: 0 --> 32 (+120)
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The clones gather in a circle away from their sleeping friends. Once there satisfied there at a good distance, Tako takes charge and speaks quietly. "Not bad for our first week, if I do say so myself. Especially since according to our new friends most people only have between 10 and 14 stat categories, we have 19 and if we do the math correctly they are all high for level 17. Also speaking of level 17, looks like we gained most of our levels from eating those 3 elves, talk about a great boon.
"We also got new forms, one is elf obviously also the vampire and dragon. The animals are self explanatory, but it also looks like those skeletons we found belonged to a dwarf and two Orcs. Nice! All in all I'm very satisfied. The last thing is of course, the title, +120 to every stat plus some of the blessings give an additional +50. We are definitely quite overpowered for being a mere level 17. We'll explore the rest of the skills in the morning, for now the vampires should go on guard duty and the rest will sleep until morning. I can't wait, it feels like my new life is truly starting now.