Up in the air

Kaden's breath came in ragged gasps as he collapsed on the ground, black feathers scattered all around him. His body ached, every muscle screaming in protest, but his grin never faded.

The fight had been brutal but he gained a couple of levels from it and more importantly, the notification that he wanted was flashing right in front of him.

[Ding! You have unlocked a new Beast Form: Black Raven]

[Ding! Do you want to confirm the imprint?]

Kaden nodded. "Yes." He did not know if there was a limit on this skill for the number of forms but for now, this seemed like a good idea so he went with it. He would now be able to either fly away in the face of danger or burrow fast and go somewhere deep down.

Or well, he could just change into his human form and simply run the hell out of there.

Kaden let out a sigh. There was a lot he needed to know about this new class. For example, would he be able to level his shape-shifting forms? Or even just evolve the skill? 

It wouldn't be convenient to keep shifting to these weaker beasts later on. The skill would then basically become useless. Maybe there was a way to upgrade it.

Kaden exhaled sharply, his body still aching from the brutal battle but he couldn't wait anymore. He wanted to try the new form immediately. He flexed his fingers, then activated [Bestial Shift].

The transformation hit him fast.

Unlike the first time with the rat, this one felt different. Still painful but far more controlled. His body didn't feel like it was being torn apart—it felt like it was shedding its weight.

His bones hollowed. His limbs contracted. His vision sharpened, the colors of the world shifting into strange contrasts. His skin rippled, feathers bursting forth in place of flesh.

Then—he was airborne.

Kaden flapped once, instinctively. Wind rushed beneath his wings, and he lifted into the sky.

The sensation was alien yet exhilarating. His body was smaller, lighter, yet powerful in a way entirely different from his human form. The ground shrank beneath him, the twisted trees of the Graveyard now nothing more than shadows in the fading dusk.

He let out a cry—a sharp, piercing caw.

For the first time in two lives, he felt free.

Kaden's eyes moistened as he flapped his wings harder and harder. All of his frustrations and his emotions crashed over him like a storm. He had spent so long fighting, surviving, clawing his way through the filth and darkness—but up here, in the open sky, he felt free.

No chains. No dungeons. No pain.

Just freedom.

For the first time in his life, he was flying and it felt insanely amazing. Kaden soared higher, catching a current of wind that lifted him effortlessly. The world beyond stretched endlessly, vast and unconquered.

For a moment, he simply glided, basking in the weightlessness, in the sheer exhilaration of it. He had wings. He could move faster than he ever had before, and see further than he ever thought possible.

He could see everything. A bird's point of view was nothing to scoff at. It was pretty incredible.

Kaden flapped his wings, adjusting his angle as he swept over the treetops. He thought he would need practise or something but his body obeyed him seamlessly. 

Time to test it. He folded his wings close and dived, cutting through the wind like a black arrow. The ground rushed toward him fast, but he instinctively adjusted, spreading his wings at the last moment to catch the updraft.

Perfect control. Perfect movement.

Maybe he would be a faster in human form but flying allowed him to cut straight to the target location and it was fun as hell so heck ya, he was going to fly the rest of the way.

Or at least that's what he thought. In just a few minutes his bird body became extremely tired and he was forced to come back down to earth. He carried on in foot the rest of the way.

It seemed like a waste of time to go running back and forth the same location but Kaden knew this would be worth it. He had a feeling his entire future might depend on it. 

He ran as fast as he could. For all he knew, he could already be late. He needed to get rid of that agg sac no matter what. He couldn't let that legendary being fully complete its birth. That was not going to bode well for him.

It took another couple of days and some shifting between bird form and rat form and human form but Kaden soon reached the dense forest area that was right beside the barrier region. 

He did not want to risk being in his human form anymore and immediately shifted to his bird form but just as he was about to turn, a loud scream caught his attention.

"Help! Help!" Someone screamed loudly. A woman.

This was followed by a vicious burst of laughter. "There is nobody here woman. No one's coming to save you."