Possibilities Beyond the Blueprint

A'gou was clearly still somewhat nervous and afraid in the face of the God of Wisdom's slowly blinking dark red lights. It instinctively tucked its head beside Shirley's legs, but after being tense for a while, it gradually told the ancient "deity" before it its story with Shirley.

A disaster caused by cultists, an Abyssal Hound originally no different from any other Abyssal Demon, an instinctive act of "feeding," a chain of symbiosis—and humanity.

Ghostly green flames flickered within A'gou's hollow skeletal eye sockets. It gradually relaxed as it spoke, lowering itself to lie beside Shirley. She absentmindedly stroked its head and occasionally added a few details.

After they finished their story, Navigator Two remained silent for a long time. Its starlike lights slowly brightened and dimmed, seemingly indicating that the God of Wisdom was engaged in complex thought. Of course, it might simply have switched to breathing-light mode.

After an indeterminate amount of time, it finally broke the silence. "So, you gained humanity, while your symbiote became an 'Abyssal Demon'... Little girl, what does your demon form look like?"

Shirley was a little surprised and instinctively looked up at Duncan. He merely gave her a slight nod.

A series of crackling bone pops rang out across the small boat. Within seconds, Shirley's body rapidly shifted into another form—dull-colored bone plates covered her originally thin, petite frame, jointed bone wings extended from her back, and her body gradually grew taller, mingling maturity with savagery and strangeness.

Then she cautiously moved the skeletal appendages behind her, gripping the gunwale carefully as she maintained her balance. "This boat's a little small..."

Navigator Two's "gaze" fixed upon Shirley, and the humming within it noticeably grew louder.

"Sample coupling..." The God of Wisdom finally spoke. Clear surprise and confusion had appeared in its normally