Chapter 8 - **Chapter 8: The First Evolution**

In the royal woods, Alaric pushed his limits. The forest hummed—wind through pines, distant wolves howling—as he evolved a vine into a razor-edged tendril, its surface shimmering like polished steel. He slashed a boulder, splitting it with a crack that sent birds scattering. "Cool, I'm a lawn ninja," he grinned, spinning the whip. A thrall ambushed him then, fangs gleaming in the moonlight. He lashed its legs, dropping it into a ravine with a splash. "Gravity's my co-star," he quipped, heart racing. "Guess I'm stuck with this gig."Back at the palace, Elara waited by the fountain, her auburn curls catching the torchlight. "You're getting better," she said, handing him a seed—small, glowing faintly. "For luck." He pocketed it, blushing. "Uh, thanks, I think?" She smiled, soft but piercing. "You'll need it, Alaric. Trouble's coming." He slumped against the stone. "Great. More reasons to stay awake."