Evolution II

Back inside the house, as the sun peeked over the grassy horizon and pushed out the darkness of the night. The young shepherd opened his eyes groggily within the comfort of his bed.

Glancing around the familiar room, he sighed and got up to wash his face. He passed the wooden shelves right beside his bed, stacked with books and a big mirror situated just behind a cabinet filled with clothes.

Elias walked over the water bowl and lazily sent Aeter to the rune situated on its bottom. He dipped his hands into the cold water and splashed his face.

The cold water was supposed to wake him up, yet the sleepiness remained.

With a deep breath, he reeled his face back and then plunged it straight in.

With his face submerged in the refreshing water, his mind cleared, and revisited yesterday's events.

'That was… intense.'

No book I read ever mentioned anything remotely similar to what I just went through. The Hindu pantheon really is full of mystery.

Even back on earth, while it was not as mainstream as the Greek and Norse ones, I always found them much more mystical and powerful.

'Going off of common sense, Gods grow stronger the more influential they are. India is no small country, I'm sure there must have been millions upon millions worshiping the likes of Shiva and Indra back when times were...simpler.'

It really puts ones analytical strength to the test when comparing the strength of pantheons. However now, I think it would be easier to know, seeing that gods are present within the lives of mortals.

'Hey leaving the subject of gods alone, I wonder if Eset and I got anything new out of the bond.'

Typically, Aeter bonds would allow the two parties involved to gain a deeper relationship, like that of kin. However, on rare occasions, when the bonded have great compatibility, they gain additional effects.

While Eset and I are not completely magically compatible, we do have a great bond, already leaning towards that of a familial one.

'Those chants and blood, they were as weird as it gets. But I could feel the power behind each and every one of those words. I'm sure there is a reason my father had me go through so much anguish... I hope. '

Having enough of the cold water, I pulled my face out of bowl, slinging my wet hair back and scattering some odd water droplets across the room. I took a deep breath as I stared at my reflection in the rippling water.

My face matured a fair bit in these months away from my mother. The baby fat fluffing up my face thinned down a fair amount making my jaw a bit more prominent.

My eyebrows looked a tad sharper and fuller, while my hazel eyes gained thicker and darker black rings around the Iris. Making them look much more prominent and domineering, like a beast's.

'Wait… That wasn't there before. Those black rings were much thinner, and not even close to being that defined.'

I heard that cases of having some small physical changes is not rare with bonded pairs, maybe this is a similar case?

'Speaking of, everything does look a bit clearer than usual. I have the feeling I could see farther than I have before.'

To test my theory, I peered outside my window and looked over to a tree a good mile away. It seemed clearer than before, but nothing I currently cannot achieve with augmenting my eyes. I tried looking more intently and imagined my eyes zooming in on it.

My eyes dilated far beyond what a human's eyes could and I felt my vision shift.

I saw the small insects climbing up its thick trunk. The soldier ants trudging its body up and down carrying small pieces of a cockroach they felled. Two rhinoceros beetles, battling for supremacy, as they tumbled and fought ferociously.

I traced the jagged edges of its bark with my eyes as I climbed it visually reaching its green dress swaying with the wind. The tree's branches were crowded with leaves so dense, that the morning sunlight struggled to pass through.

'…Beautiful'

The ability to admire such minute details from afar astonishing. Yet my observation was cut short, as a stinging pain came from my two eyes.

I snapped my head back in pain as the pupils returned to their normal size bringing me back to my small room.

'If I knew I would gain this ability, then I would have done this ages ago! Not only is everything much clearer, but my field of vision expands on command.'

Wiping the tears streaming from my eyes, I walked over to the mirror, eager to discover any other change that occurred.

I brushed my hand over my tanned chest, looking for the crystal that caused me much anguish, yet 'twas as if all the pain was a figment of my imagination. I scanned my arms, legs and scarred torso looking for any physical change, but there was nothing out of the ordinary.

Only the faint scratches here and there along with the two big scars were present.

Sighing in defeat, I turned around to grab the training gear from the cabinet. The moment I did, a large tattoo made its way into my sight.

'…well shit'

###

Looking in the Mirror, the young boy stretched his arms backward, marveling at the tattoo that appeared on his back.

Elias traced the ink like material marking his skin slowly.

An owl, similar to Eset was situated in the middle of his back standing on a white skull. The skull's hollow eyes housed a blue flame oozing with ill intent making it hard to look directly at it.

The owl had a tear drop like gem situated in the middle of its temple, forming a circlet like shape with the antlers. The root of the white antlers extended downward and formed a protective vessel around the smooth edges of the gem.

The Tytonidae's magnificent midnight black wings unfurled, the tips of which reaching the boy's rear deltoid muscles. The under wings were dotted with different white stars, giving the illusion of the night sky.

Different from Eset's eyes, the owl had a black sclera a violet iris and a white slitted pupil, drowning those who peer into them in a mystifying beauty.

'What the hell… No one said anything about a tattoo....

Mom's gonna kill me.'

-Hoot

Lost in his thoughts, Elias was startled when a familiar owl called out to him.

Flying right through the window, Eset in all her starry glory landed elegantly on her perch.

Elias flinched and grabbed his bow from a rack on the wall aiming an Aeter arrow right at the 'intruder'.

In the past, spells would take much time to perform proving impractical to use on a whim. However, Elias made much progress in magic, cutting the time needed

[What's wrong Elias?]

The beautiful owl's voice sounded in his mind again, reminding him of how bazar his life has become. Yet, he did not hate it one bit.

Shaking his head in amusement, the young boy unsumonned the arrow and made his way to his bond.

Taking a better look at her, he noticed an alien feature adorning her face.

[Eset, what is that crystal on your head?]