As he set the rings down in front of him, the small lizards trilled excitedly, hopping closer and sniffing at the newly carved stones. One particularly bold one tapped a ring with its tiny claw, recoiling slightly when a faint spark of mana flickered across the rune. Another chirped in fascination, nudging its snout against the wind-inscribed ring, which gave off a faint hum in response.


    "Yeah, yeah, marvel at my genius," Traebus muttered, waving a hand as he pulled the rings back toward him. "If you start chewing on them, I swear I’m throwing you all outside."


    The lizards trilled again, seemingly unbothered by his empty threat, before scuttling back a little—though they kept a watchful eye on his work, tails flicking with curiosity.


    Traebus sighed, leaning back against the stone wall. "Alright, we''re getting somewhere. A few more proper tools, some better materials, and I might actually start feeling like a real mage again."


    As if on cue, one of the smaller lizards darted forward, its wide eyes fixed on the pile of rings. Before Traebus could react, the tiny creature snatched up the lightning-etched ring and, with alarming enthusiasm, swallowed it whole.


    There was a beat of absolute silence.


    Traebus stared. The other lizards stared. Even Dusk cracked an eye open, watching the scene with mild interest.


    Then Traebus groaned, dragging his hands down his face. "Oh, for the love of—WHY?"


    Before he could even reach out to try and do something about it, the lizard suddenly convulsed, its body twitching as arcs of electricity sparked off its scales. Its eyes went wide, and then, in a blur of movement, it vanished from sight.


    Traebus blinked. Dusk lifted his head. The other lizards all looked around in frantic confusion, chirping in alarm.


    A loud crack echoed from the far side of the room, followed by the distinct scent of singed rock. The little lizard reappeared, skidding across the floor, wide-eyed and vibrating with leftover static. Then, as if testing its newfound power, it let out a tiny chirp—and a bolt of lightning arced from its mouth, charring a nearby pebble.


    Traebus gaped. "Oh. Oh no. Absolutely not. We are not doing this."


    The electrified lizard trilled, eyes glowing faintly as it practically buzzed with energy. Then, in another blink-fast movement, it zipped up the wall, across the ceiling, and back down to land right in front of him, trilling proudly.


    Traebus buried his face in his hands. "I have created a monster."


    Then, a far worse thought struck him. He slowly lowered his hands, peering at the still-crackling lizard. "Wait… you swallowed that ring."


    The lizard blinked, tilting its head.


    "That means you have to pass it."


    There was a long, awkward silence before the lizard gave a hesitant trill of concern, shifting uncomfortably as if it suddenly regretted every life decision it had ever made.


    Traebus exhaled sharply, shaking his head. "Oh, buddy, you are in for an experience. That’s not just a ring—that’s a magically reinforced stone ring. You might want to find a good spot to hunker down, because if it doesn’t electrocute you from the inside first, you’re going to be dealing with a case of epic constipation."


    The lizard trilled again, this time much more distressed, its frills puffing slightly as if that would somehow help its predicament.


    Dusk let out a deep, chuffing sound, something between amusement and sympathy.


    Traebus just sighed. "Well, at least now we know lightning magic has some shocking consequences."


    Still, as ridiculous as this situation was, it did spark an idea. Traebus leaned back against the wall, rubbing his chin as he eyed the still-electrified lizard, which was now pacing nervously, its tail twitching with residual static.


    "Alright, so ignoring the obvious digestive nightmare you''ve just signed up for, this does raise some interesting possibilities," he mused aloud. "If swallowing a single enchanted ring gave you lightning speed and a mouth full of murder sparks, then what would happen if we actually designed magic items specifically for you guys?"


    The lizard stopped mid-pace, blinking at him. Dusk also lifted his head, clearly intrigued by the thought process forming in Traebus''s mind.


    He pointed at the buzzing lizard. "You just gave me a prototype test subject. Imagine properly crafted gear—small harnesses with built-in spell foci, runed claw caps for increased cutting power, maybe even enchanted plating for protection. Dusk, you could have reinforced armor, speed boosters, maybe even controlled elemental breath attacks."


    Dusk’s frills flicked in what Traebus interpreted as cautious curiosity, while the other lizards trilled amongst themselves, clearly invested in the idea—especially the electrified one, which chirped enthusiastically, tiny sparks flickering off its snout.


    "Of course, that all depends on if Sparky here survives his digestive adventure," Traebus added dryly, folding his arms. "So let’s see if he makes it through the next twelve hours before I start designing an entire arsenal of lizard-sized magitech."


    With that somewhat grim thought lingering, Traebus finally let exhaustion overtake him. He stretched out on his makeshift bedding and let his eyes drift shut, fully prepared to get a solid night’s rest.


    Or at least, that was the plan.


    A loud crack jolted him awake not even an hour later. His eyes snapped open just in time to see the electrified lizard darting in a chaotic zig-zag across the room, leaving behind tiny scorch marks with each step. A second later, another surge of energy flickered through its body, making all its frills stand on end before it let out a high-pitched chirp—followed by a burst of static discharging against the walls.


    Traebus groaned, rolling onto his side. "Sparky, I swear to every arcane principle in existence, if you don’t sit your overcharged little butt down—"


    Another zap cut him off. Then another. The lizard practically vibrated, too full of unstable energy to stay still for more than a few seconds at a time. Even the other small lizards had abandoned their usual antics and were giving their electrified kin a very wide berth.


    By the fourth time he was jolted awake, Traebus simply sat up, rubbing his face with both hands. "Alright, I give up. We’re never sleeping again. That’s just life now. Endless, sleepless suffering."


    Dusk, who had been watching the entire ordeal with a look of quiet amusement, simply chuffed before curling up again, clearly deciding that Sparky’s nocturnal antics were not his problem.


    Traebus sighed. "Yeah, thanks for the support, big guy. Really appreciate it."


    Just as Dusk began to close his eyes again, a sharp zap echoed through the room. The smell of singed scales filled the air as Sparky, in his infinite wisdom, had unleashed a small but potent jolt—directly into Dusk’s side.


    For a second, nothing happened.


    Then Dusk bolted upright with a strangled hiss, frills flaring in utter outrage. His tail lashed violently, and he whirled on Sparky, who now looked far less confident about his life choices.


    Traebus barely had time to roll out of the way before Dusk lunged.


    What followed was pure, unfiltered chaos.


    Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Sparky screeched and zipped across the room in a frantic blur, bouncing off walls, ceilings, and anything unfortunate enough to be in his path. Dusk, normally the picture of composure, had abandoned all dignity as he flailed after the offending lizard, hissing like a cat dropped in water. The other small lizards wisely scrambled to higher ground, chirping in a mixture of amusement and terror.


    Traebus, still half-sprawled on the floor, wiped a hand down his face. "Fantastic. I live in a house full of lunatics."


    Dusk snapped his jaws at Sparky, who yelped and skittered under Traebus’s bedding. The momentary pause gave Dusk just enough time to recover his pride, and he let out a long, suffering exhale before fixing Traebus with a look that screamed, This is your fault.


    Traebus held up his hands. "Hey, don''t look at me. You were the one who said he wasn’t your problem. Looks like the problem disagreed."


    Sparky, still tucked under the bedding, let out a meek trill of apology. A small spark flickered from his snout, singeing the fabric.


    Dusk growled lowly, but instead of retaliation, he just flopped back down with an exaggerated thud, his tail twitching irritably. Traebus took that as his cue to drag his bedding away from the living lightning hazard.


    "Alright, no more zapping Dusk," Traebus declared, wagging a finger at Sparky. "Unless you want to see what getting used as a chew toy feels like."


    Sparky chirped, eyes wide and innocent. Too innocent.


    Traebus wasn’t fooled for a second.


    Despite the chaotic start, the night eventually passed—though not without its interruptions. Sparky’s erratic energy bursts continued for a while, resulting in several more near-miss lightning discharges and the occasional high-pitched zap that kept everyone on edge. At one point, Traebus was certain he felt his hair stand on end from residual static, which did not help his already frazzled nerves.


    But eventually, exhaustion won out. Sparky’s energy levels seemed to wane just enough for him to stop jittering like an over-caffeinated gremlin, and the rest of the lizards finally curled up into their usual pile. Dusk, grumbling low in his throat, kept himself firmly out of range of the miniature walking battery before settling down with a heavy sigh.


    Traebus, for his part, flopped onto his back and let sleep finally take him, mentally swearing that if he got shocked awake even one more time, he was throwing Sparky into the river.


    Thankfully, no further incidents occurred. When morning came, the first thing Traebus noticed was the blessed silence. No zaps. No screeches. Just the steady, even breathing of his companions and the soft glow of morning light creeping in through the cracks of the stone walls.


    He exhaled in relief, stretching out his sore limbs before rolling onto his side—and immediately freezing mid-motion. Something was different.


    His gaze landed on Sparky, and his brain took a full three seconds to process what he was seeing. The once small, jittery lightning lizard was now larger—significantly so. Almost Dusks'' size. His scales, which had previously been a mottled brown-green, were now a deep yellow with white highlights streaking across his back and frills, glowing faintly as if still charged with residual energy.


    Traebus blinked. Then blinked again. Then muttered, "Oh, absolutely not."


    Dusk, who had apparently been awake and watching his reaction, let out an amused chuff. The other small lizards trilled excitedly, seemingly unbothered by the spontaneous evolution of their kin.


    Traebus slowly sat up, rubbing his face. "I don’t even want to ask, but I have to ask—what the hell did you eat while I was sleeping?"


    Sparky tilted his head, frills flicking as an answer came—not in words, but in a series of mental images. Traebus’s mind was suddenly filled with flashes of shifting, pulsing energy, of something being absorbed rather than eaten, of raw magic being digested and metabolized on a level far beyond simple consumption.


    Traebus blinked at the strange sensation, rubbing his temples as the images faded. "Oh. Oh, that’s weird. That’s deeply weird."


    Dusk let out an amused chuff, while the other small lizards trilled in what Traebus could only interpret as excitement. Sparky, for his part, simply sat there, looking rather proud of himself.


    Traebus exhaled, his mind already racing. If Sparky had absorbed the magic, rather than simply using an enchanted item like a normal mage would, then that meant…


    He sat up straighter, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Wait. Hold on. Does that mean feeding you guys enchanted items actually empowers you? Like… straight-up evolves you?"


    The lizards chirped. Dusk cocked his head, clearly curious. Sparky trilled and bounced once, the air around him crackling faintly with static.


    Traebus ran a hand through his hair, his excitement building. "I’ve read thousands of magical texts, and never have I heard of a species capable of directly absorbing enchantments like this. You little freeloaders might actually be the most unique mana-adaptive creatures I’ve ever encountered."


    He paused, then muttered, "I mean, obviously that doesn’t excuse eating my prototype spell rings like snacks, but still."


    Sparky let out a delighted zap of lightning in response. Dusk, now clearly invested, let out a thoughtful rumble, imparting a vague sense of potential—of what could be if this discovery was properly explored.


    Traebus clapped his hands together, grinning. "Alright, science time. Looks like we’ve got some experiments to run."


    Then, just as quickly, he let out a long exhale and rolled his shoulders, forcing himself to refocus. As tempting as it was to start experimenting right this second, there were more pressing matters—like ensuring his home didn’t get overrun by another oversized predator while he was busy playing scientist.


    With a sigh, he reached for the remaining elemental rings and slid them onto his fingers, flexing them to test their feel. They weren’t as sophisticated as his old equipment, but they’d do the job for now. The mana in the air here was thick enough that even basic foci like these could function well above their intended capacity.


    Pushing himself up, he adjusted his coat, glanced once more at Sparky—who was still vibrating with residual energy—and then made his way toward the entrance. "Alright, as much as I want to figure out if feeding you lot enchanted junk turns you into apex predators, I’ve got a wall to finish. Because I like not being eaten in my sleep."


    Dusk chuffed in agreement, following after him, while the small lizards trilled amongst themselves, clearly intrigued by the newfound possibilities. Sparky, still practically buzzing, flicked his tail once before darting ahead, his movement nearly instantaneous, a streak of yellow flashing toward the bridge.


    Traebus paused mid-step and muttered, "This is going to get out of hand really fast, isn’t it?"


    Still, he had more immediate concerns than hyper-evolving lizards. The defensive wall needed to be completed, and he wasn’t about to risk his hard-earned refuge being overrun by some hungry nightmare while he got sidetracked by magical curiosity.


    Steeling himself for a long day, Traebus strode toward the unfinished wall, flexing his fingers as he drew on the steady flow of mana now filtering properly through his refined rings. The thick stone structure stood tall but incomplete, the gaps glaring at him like missing teeth in an otherwise sturdy barrier. He cracked his knuckles and set to work.


    Hours passed as he meticulously layered stone upon stone, shaping each slab with carefully controlled bursts of magic. The process was slow, precise—he wasn’t just stacking rocks, he was fusing them together, reinforcing them with mana to create a barrier that wouldn’t just hold against the elements, but against claws, teeth, and whatever else might come knocking.


    Sweat beaded on his brow as he worked under the afternoon sun, muscles straining from the dual effort of physical labor and spellcasting. Dusk kept a watchful eye from nearby, occasionally pacing or flicking his frills in response to distant jungle sounds. The smaller lizards scurried about, some sunning themselves on the already-completed sections, others chasing each other in bursts of energy that made Traebus shake his head. "Must be nice to have nothing better to do than play tag while I break my back over here."


    A deep chuff from Dusk made him glance over, catching the lizard’s half-lidded stare that somehow screamed You did this to yourself.


    By late afternoon, the final layers of the wall were coming together. Traebus took a step back, wiping dust and sweat from his face as he examined his work. The thick stone barricade now encircled the bridge’s entrance, rising nearly twice his height. The gaps had been sealed, and the foundation was solid. He’d have to reinforce it more over time, but for now, it was a damn sight better than when he started.


    He exhaled heavily, nodding in satisfaction. "Not bad for a one-man construction crew."


    A loud thud behind him made him turn just in time to see Sparky slam into the wall, rebounding with a startled trill before landing in an undignified heap. The lizard twitched once before bouncing to its feet, looking supremely offended at the structure’s refusal to let it pass through sheer willpower.


    Traebus sighed, shaking his head. "Yeah, that one’s definitely on me."


    Dusk flicked his tail, tilting his head in clear confusion, his frills shifting slightly as if trying to puzzle out what exactly Traebus meant.


    Traebus rolled his eyes. "Not the wall, genius. The fact that Sparky just tried to phase through it like it wasn’t there." He waved a hand in the direction of the now-pouting electric lizard, who was still rubbing his snout indignantly. "I was the one who let him eat a literal magic ring like it was a snack, so this one’s on me."


    Dusk let out a slow, considering rumble before shifting his gaze toward Sparky, who looked up at him with an unrepentant trill. The bigger lizard let out what could only be described as an exaggerated sigh before turning his eyes back to Traebus, clearly imparting the sentiment of You’re responsible for this disaster.


    Traebus threw his arms up. "Oh, don’t start with me. Like I could’ve stopped him! Have you met them? They’re tiny chaos incarnate! You turn your back for one second and suddenly your enchanted gear is part of someone’s digestive process!"


    As if to emphasize the point, one of the smaller lizards scuttled past, tail flicking happily as it gnawed on a rock like it might turn into a steak if it wished hard enough.


    Dusk chuffed, a slow, deliberate exhale that radiated the kind of unimpressed judgment only a large, intelligent predator could manage.


    Traebus groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "I swear, it’s like living with a bunch of hyperactive toddlers—except these toddlers can shoot lightning and apparently evolve if you feed them the wrong thing." He shot Sparky a look. "And you, stop trying to defy physics for five minutes."


    Sparky trilled innocently, the crackling hum of energy around the lizard mage doing nothing to sell his innocence.


    Traebus wasn’t buying it.