I spent the next few weeks basking in the glow of the sun. I know it was a few weeks because I was able to feel the sun. Sure I didn't know exactly how long it had been because of what I'm guessing was clouds or maybe a shadow passing overhead. Still there was something oddly comforting about just having some kind of a reference point. I found that my physical growth was not tied to my level. Leveling up did provide a growth spurt but I was also constantly growing. The reason I know this is because I started checking my stats every three or four days. Then again what else was I going to do. One can only bask in the sun for so long.

  It didn't take near as long as I would have thought to get my next level. Then again I now had just over twenty leaves, and they were starting to come in much more frequently.

  Wao, now this is trippy. I can see but it's not like seeing with my eyes. Not that I have eyes. It's like I'm vaguely aware of plant and animal shaped glowsticks. These points of … well, light for lack of a better term are all glowing at different intensities. It took me an embarrassingly long time to work out that the intensity of the glow was directly correlated to the amount of life contained in the thing. Eventually, I did master this new skill and now I would almost argue that it's better than normal sight. Almost, I mean being able to see things like color and details would be nice. It certain has its advantages though, such as being able to see equally well regardless of the surrounding conditions.

  This is nice I have to admit. Nothing to do but relax and grow. I did confirm that I am in fact in the middle of a forest. Which is nice because it means that I won't be running out of room nor am I dependent on someone to water me and maintain the soil composition. At my current rate of growth I want have to worry about becoming a snack for some woodland creature much longer either. As if to emphasize my point I received my next level up while still thinking about the last one. This time the notification came just over a week after the last one.

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  Once again I immediately jump into testing my new skill. Unlike the first two this one is a skill I need to consciously choose to activate. Admittedly I don't really see a need for this kind of skill. I mean I can move my branches but it takes a lot of mana. Why it takes mana to move what is essentially my arm I have no idea but it does. Fortunately it takes much less mana to move my roots. Especially the tiny ones. I spent a few days playing with this new skill but I quickly got bored of it. I still don't see a reason for such a skill. It's not like I can pull my roots up and walk around. I know this because I tried doing exactly that while trying to think of a use for this skill.

  At least now I had something to do when I got bored of basking in the sun. The next level up came about a week after the last one. I can't help but feel this rate of growth is unsustainable.

  I'm not superstitious but there is still something a little unnerving about suddenly being aware of clumps of death mana nearby. It doesn't take a genius to work out what those clumps of death mana represents. Unlike life mana that flows freely death mana seems to cling to things. I mean yes life mana does tend to be concentrated on and around living things but I can also see little currents of it drifting faintly in the air almost like wind. Death mana on the other hand just lays there like a weighted blanket nobody asked for.

  It was during the next level up that things finally changed as I was given a choice this time.

  So basically it cones down to whether I want to be able to heal quickly but constantly have woodland critters around me or grow slowly but not be bothered. What exactly is a domain anyway? I wasn't exactly expecting a reply so I was rather startled when I actually got one.

  Your domain is a roughly ovoid shape connecting the furthest points you have reached in all direction.

  So, it's like a bubble with me at the center constantly pressing on the walls floor and ceiling? I waited for a bit but never received an answer. So until I find out differently that's the mental image I'm going with. This places the bottom of my domain surprisingly deep underground. I'm also aware now of how much empty space there is inside my domain. Taking a look back at my options a can't help but wonder if this is why some shade trees feel inviting while others feel almost ominous. Then again earth doesn't have mana, or domains, or anything like this.

  Considering my options I decide to go with Life Aura because the idea of being surrounded by death just makes me uneasy. Immediately after making my choice I begin to feel a slight change in the ambient mana flow.