Species Name: Megnac Beetle (Megnacus loyalist)
Average Height: 1.5 inches
Average Weight: 0.3 ounces
Lifespan: Typically 2 years in the wild. Capable of hibernation for extended periods when conditions require.
Primary Attributes: Known for their resilience and adaptability.
Loyalty Index: Extremely high. Megnac Beetles are known for their unwavering loyalty to entities they identify as allies.
Habitat Preferences: Prefer moist, warm climates but can adapt to a variety of environments due to their robust nature.
Diet: Omnivorous with a preference for decaying organic matter, but can adapt dietary habits based on availability.
Reproductive Rate: Moderate; however, in the presence of abundant resources, their population can rapidly increase.
Unique Abilities:
Indefinite Hibernation: Can enter a state of hibernation for an unspecified duration, awakening when conditions are favorable.
Beetle Duplication Technique Affinity: Unusually responsive to magical influences that manipulate their biological state or behaviors.
Evolutionary Pathways:
Primary Evolution: The ‘Megnacus Guardus’, a humanoid form known for its exceptional strength and combat skills. This evolution is rare and typically triggered by specific environmental or magical conditions.
Secondary Evolution: Variants include ‘Megnacus Alatus’ (winged form) and ‘Megnacus Aquaticus’ (adapted for aquatic environments).
Known Weaknesses: Susceptible to certain magical frequencies and extreme cold temperatures.
Cultural Significance: In some realms, considered a symbol of endurance and loyalty.
This species, while a challenge for local ecosystems, presents remarkable opportunities for study due to its unique evolutionary potential and adaptability.
Karen, I told you not to use my Identify skill. I hate that skill. You’ve blinded me for like…hours. There’s still hundreds of pages of information about these damn beetles and I can’t see anything past these massive holographic blocks of text.
[732] pages to be exact. I’ve never seen an Identify skill at this level, it is magnificent.
That’s it, I’m going to bed, and you’re going on a time out.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Kaito woke up in the middle of the night to pee and struck his toe really, really hard on a corner—his vision was still compromised.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
For Kaito and the citizens of Calmo Village, life pretty much went back to normal. His clerical office job, his baking, the Soft Waffle and Slimepool was exactly how he liked it…perfect.
All was perfect, except for one little thing: his new roommate. This was a young dragonfolk man who, as a matter of fact, had been the culprit who brought the megnac beetle to the village when he sought refuge after being exiled by his clan for contracting the problematic bug.
Jogid, the dragonfolk, devoured all of Kaito’s hell-herbs and bread in a matter of minutes, which was a significant problem since the dish was supposed to serve as Kaito’s breakfast all week.
However, what was the greatest insult to his cherished way of life was that Jogid wouldn’t stop calling him ‘Master’—a role he wanted nothing to do with. The Nerve.
He needed to do something about it. Fast. Or else, he would end up training Jogid, only for him to become unimaginably powerful, ultimately challenging Kaito for supremacy or unwittingly unleashing a catastrophic event that Kaito would inevitably have to resolve.
It was also very likely that Jogid would drop a tragic backstory on him at any moment. If that happened, all would be lost; Kaito would be enslaved to seeing Jogid’s journey through to its conclusion.
“No! It will not happen!” he told himself a little louder than intended.
“Master Kaito, I await your instruction,” Jogid said, standing from the table and bowing his head. “Also, would you spare some more bread for this one?”
Kaito sighed. “Jogid, there’s no more bread,” he said calmly. “And honestly, you don’t need to call me ‘Master’. I’m just Kaito, your... temporary host.”
Jogid’s scaly obsidian tail stopped swishing left and right, and he looked up. “But Master Kaito, your wisdom and strength are unparalleled. The way you defeated the megnac swarm terrorizing this village. And you saved me from certain death. I must learn from you!”
He stood up collecting his things for work. “My ‘wisdom’ is knowing when to work and when to relax. It’s time for me to head to the office, and for you, Jogid, to carve your own path. You’re free of the megnac beetle now. Calmo Village is safe, and so are you. It’s time to go home, or find a new adventure, one that doesn’t involve being my apprentice.”
As he headed for the door, Kaito patted Jogid’s shoulder in a friendly, reassuring manner. “You’ll do great things, Jogid. Just remember, not all strength comes from a master. Much of it,” he pointed to Jogid’s heart, “comes from within.”
I worried there for a second, but that came out perfectly!
He opened the door with one snappy motion, then looked back before stepping through it. “Jogid, your destiny awaits... far, far away from Calmo Village. I expect great things from you. Farewell, my friend.”
Kaito walked away with a grin, having successfully averted being entangled in a cliché student-master trope. And so, he marched on to village hall with renewed hope.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Jogid’s heart thundered in his chest as Master Kaito’s words echoed in his mind.
This was a test. It had to be.
Why else would the Great Master dismiss him so callously after saving his life? After showing him power the likes of which he had never witnessed?
No, Master Kaito was testing his resolve. Testing his dedication as a magic student. Jogid would not falter. He would prove himself worthy.
He inspected the simple dwelling. The quaint home had a thatched roof and walls of weathered timber.
Inside, the single room contained only the bare essentials—a straw bed, wooden table and chairs, and a hearth for cooking. Once cluttered and unkempt, the dwelling was now orderly and clean thanks to his efforts this past hour. He had scrubbed every inch, repaired every loose board and leaky patch in the roof. The simple clay oven next to the hearth had been crumbling and inefficient. Jogid reinforced it with fresh clay and stone and optimized the shape of the flue to retain more heat. Now it could truly bake worthy creations with the skill of the Great Master. Satisfied with his work, Jogid nodded firmly. This was but the first step in proving his dedication.
But it was not enough. More could be done to ease Master Kaito’s burden, to show his devotion as a disciple.
Jogid strode outside, his slitted crimson eyes scanning the surroundings. Time to work. He removed the top half of his robe, exposing his scaly chest. Arcane symbols glowed along his arms as he channeled his mana to grasp a massive boulder near the edge of the property. With a levitation spell, he lifted the tremendous weight overhead before hurling it far into the distance. The ground quaked from the impact. Yes, his arcane power was returning.
Next, he set to work on a small long-neglected garden in front of the house. His claws rent massive furrows into the earth as he uprooted brush and stones. The sun beat down on his scaly ebony hide, but he did not tire. Master Kaito deserved a proper garden befitting his greatness. Jogid would see it done.
By mid-afternoon, orderly rows of rich soil awaited tilling and seed. Jogid rubbed the soil between his clawed fingers, imagining the bounty it could produce.
A soft smile crossed his reptilian snout. Visions filled his mind—of his mother working their garden, humming gently as she tended the vibrant flowers and succulent fire-berries that sustained their village. Those halcyon days before the beetles came, before the clan elders blamed him, and exiled him for the infestation. Before he lost everything.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Fuck, he’s still here.
Although…that vegetable garden looks kinda nice.
Species Name: Megnac Beetle (Megnacus loyalist)
Average Height: 1.5 inches
Average Weight: 0.3 ounces
Lifespan: Typically 2 years in the wild. Capable of hibernation for extended periods when conditions require.
Primary Attributes: Known for their resilience and adaptability.
Loyalty Index: Extremely high. Megnac Beetles are known for their unwavering loyalty to entities they identify as allies.
Habitat Preferences: Prefer moist, warm climates but can adapt to a variety of environments due to their robust nature.
Diet: Omnivorous with a preference for decaying organic matter, but can adapt dietary habits based on availability.
Reproductive Rate: Moderate; however, in the presence of abundant resources, their population can rapidly increase.
Unique Abilities:
Indefinite Hibernation: Can enter a state of hibernation for an unspecified duration, awakening when conditions are favorable.
Beetle Duplication Technique Affinity: Unusually responsive to magical influences that manipulate their biological state or behaviors.
Evolutionary Pathways:
Primary Evolution: The ‘Megnacus Guardus’, a humanoid form known for its exceptional strength and combat skills. This evolution is rare and typically triggered by specific environmental or magical conditions.
Secondary Evolution: Variants include ‘Megnacus Alatus’ (winged form) and ‘Megnacus Aquaticus’ (adapted for aquatic environments).
Known Weaknesses: Susceptible to certain magical frequencies and extreme cold temperatures.
Cultural Significance: In some realms, considered a symbol of endurance and loyalty.
This species, while a challenge for local ecosystems, presents remarkable opportunities for study due to its unique evolutionary potential and adaptability.
Karen, I told you not to use my Identify skill. I hate that skill. You’ve blinded me for like…hours. There’s still hundreds of pages of information about these damn beetles and I can’t see anything past these massive holographic blocks of text.
[732] pages to be exact. I’ve never seen an Identify skill at this level, it is magnificent.
That’s it, I’m going to bed, and you’re going on a time out.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Kaito woke up in the middle of the night to pee and struck his toe really, really hard on a corner—his vision was still compromised.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
For Kaito and the citizens of Calmo Village, life pretty much went back to normal. His clerical office job, his baking, the Soft Waffle and Slimepool was exactly how he liked it…perfect.
All was perfect, except for one little thing: his new roommate. This was a young dragonfolk man who, as a matter of fact, had been the culprit who brought the megnac beetle to the village when he sought refuge after being exiled by his clan for contracting the problematic bug.
Jogid, the dragonfolk, devoured all of Kaito’s hell-herbs and bread in a matter of minutes, which was a significant problem since the dish was supposed to serve as Kaito’s breakfast all week.
However, what was the greatest insult to his cherished way of life was that Jogid wouldn’t stop calling him ‘Master’—a role he wanted nothing to do with. The Nerve.
He needed to do something about it. Fast. Or else, he would end up training Jogid, only for him to become unimaginably powerful, ultimately challenging Kaito for supremacy or unwittingly unleashing a catastrophic event that Kaito would inevitably have to resolve.
It was also very likely that Jogid would drop a tragic backstory on him at any moment. If that happened, all would be lost; Kaito would be enslaved to seeing Jogid’s journey through to its conclusion.
“No! It will not happen!” he told himself a little louder than intended.
“Master Kaito, I await your instruction,” Jogid said, standing from the table and bowing his head. “Also, would you spare some more bread for this one?”
Kaito sighed. “Jogid, there’s no more bread,” he said calmly. “And honestly, you don’t need to call me ‘Master’. I’m just Kaito, your... temporary host.”
Jogid’s scaly obsidian tail stopped swishing left and right, and he looked up. “But Master Kaito, your wisdom and strength are unparalleled. The way you defeated the megnac swarm terrorizing this village. And you saved me from certain death. I must learn from you!”
He stood up collecting his things for work. “My ‘wisdom’ is knowing when to work and when to relax. It’s time for me to head to the office, and for you, Jogid, to carve your own path. You’re free of the megnac beetle now. Calmo Village is safe, and so are you. It’s time to go home, or find a new adventure, one that doesn’t involve being my apprentice.”
As he headed for the door, Kaito patted Jogid’s shoulder in a friendly, reassuring manner. “You’ll do great things, Jogid. Just remember, not all strength comes from a master. Much of it,” he pointed to Jogid’s heart, “comes from within.”
I worried there for a second, but that came out perfectly!
He opened the door with one snappy motion, then looked back before stepping through it. “Jogid, your destiny awaits... far, far away from Calmo Village. I expect great things from you. Farewell, my friend.”
Kaito walked away with a grin, having successfully averted being entangled in a cliché student-master trope. And so, he marched on to village hall with renewed hope.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Jogid’s heart thundered in his chest as Master Kaito’s words echoed in his mind.
This was a test. It had to be.
Why else would the Great Master dismiss him so callously after saving his life? After showing him power the likes of which he had never witnessed?
No, Master Kaito was testing his resolve. Testing his dedication as a magic student. Jogid would not falter. He would prove himself worthy.
He inspected the simple dwelling. The quaint home had a thatched roof and walls of weathered timber.
Inside, the single room contained only the bare essentials—a straw bed, wooden table and chairs, and a hearth for cooking. Once cluttered and unkempt, the dwelling was now orderly and clean thanks to his efforts this past hour. He had scrubbed every inch, repaired every loose board and leaky patch in the roof. The simple clay oven next to the hearth had been crumbling and inefficient. Jogid reinforced it with fresh clay and stone and optimized the shape of the flue to retain more heat. Now it could truly bake worthy creations with the skill of the Great Master. Satisfied with his work, Jogid nodded firmly. This was but the first step in proving his dedication.
But it was not enough. More could be done to ease Master Kaito’s burden, to show his devotion as a disciple.
Jogid strode outside, his slitted crimson eyes scanning the surroundings. Time to work. He removed the top half of his robe, exposing his scaly chest. Arcane symbols glowed along his arms as he channeled his mana to grasp a massive boulder near the edge of the property. With a levitation spell, he lifted the tremendous weight overhead before hurling it far into the distance. The ground quaked from the impact. Yes, his arcane power was returning.
Next, he set to work on a small long-neglected garden in front of the house. His claws rent massive furrows into the earth as he uprooted brush and stones. The sun beat down on his scaly ebony hide, but he did not tire. Master Kaito deserved a proper garden befitting his greatness. Jogid would see it done.
By mid-afternoon, orderly rows of rich soil awaited tilling and seed. Jogid rubbed the soil between his clawed fingers, imagining the bounty it could produce.
A soft smile crossed his reptilian snout. Visions filled his mind—of his mother working their garden, humming gently as she tended the vibrant flowers and succulent fire-berries that sustained their village. Those halcyon days before the beetles came, before the clan elders blamed him, and exiled him for the infestation. Before he lost everything.
▬▬ι════════ﺤ
Fuck, he’s still here.
Although…that vegetable garden looks kinda nice.
