#10: THE SKILLS OF THE ELEMENTAL SPIRIT (PART 2)
WHILE ALI WAS exchanging words with the Mutant Fox, she did not expect what the elemental spirit she was holding would do next. It suddenly slipped out of her grasp and jumped like a spear toward the direction of the Mutant Fox, who when it saw her pet suddenly went into an attack mood. Its eyes also sharpened.
“Squeak, squeak!”
“Human, what is the meaning of this?”
Ali's mouth fell open and didn't know what to do or say.
“S-SNOOKY, COME BACK!”
“Squeake?” the bouncing thing suddenly lost its momentum and stopped just as it approached the Mutant Fox who was now on alert.
“I'm sorry, Mr. Fox. It's just that, this little thing was so naughty and just like to play around. Please, don't mind its behaviors.” Ali was about to approach to pick up her playful Familiar when the Mutant Fox suddenly spoke, and she didn't expect what it said, or it was correct to say this cunning Fox decided that it doesn't accept no whether she liked it or not.
“I want this thing. If you want to exchange something with me, this thing was enough,” he said in a domineering tone
Her lips pressed together and her fists clenched but she calmed down for a moment. What does it think of an elemental spirit, a toy, or just a type of thing that can be traded? Heh! Sorry but not sorry. She has made a contract with it and she will not let someone else own it when there is no certainty of what will happen to her Familiar that will simply end up in someone else's possession, especially with this cunning Fox. Over my dead body!
She slightly coughed first, “What are you going to do with my pet? This little thing here is of no great value. Your head will only hurt when you are with him. So, if you want, I have something here that is more valuable than something like him—”
“Are you kidding me, Human? What do you think of me who can't appraise anything? This thing has so much energy that all I need. If you don't want to trade this thing to me, I won't take anything and will never accept it. So make up your mind now, if you don't agree, you can leave.” after it said that in a sharp tone, it turned around, and before that, it even managed to shoot her a sharp look that seemed to indicate that the Fox was not stupid enough to believe her.
Ali swallowed one after another. Creatures like this are clever and credible. She clicked her tongue. She caught a glimpse of the elemental spirit still jumping around innocently. If its paths and the Mutant Fox before her path happened to cross, she was sure that this Fox would not let go of the elemental spirit. But can this Fox be sure that it can defeat an elemental spirit that can split a towering mountain? If it wasn't for Ali's luck, she knew she had no confidence in getting something like this either. She thought.
“Snooky, come here,” she ordered the bouncing thing. That's the name she thought of giving it because of its color and the only sound it creates.
“Squeak!” Ali just snorted because of its response. It seems that she needs to hurry and work hard to upgrade this creature so that they can understand each other when she needs to talk with him. She remembered what the AI system told her...
It said Snooky can still follow her through her mind because their spirits are said to be connected. But if that's the case, is there a possibility that if one of them dies, the other will follow? The thought horrified her.
She also remembered again what her Familiar could do. Right! She just needs to communicate with it so she can make it follow what she asks. She is not yet sure of some of the things it can do and she is expecting so much more.
She approached Snooky and embraced him. It became obedient and became completely silent and did not move anymore. She stared at its round and big eyes. In just a few moments, she was surprised when Snooky became transparent, and her eyes widened even more when the strange energy coming from it went up to her hands that were holding it. Until she also became transparent, or it is correct to say that they both became invisible? The only difference was that she could still see their bodies as if they had turned into water.
“W-Woah! Is this one of your abilities?”
“Squeak!”
Ali thought again. Until she made up her mind. A smile appeared at the corner of her lips. She smirked. Why not?
The Mutant Fox is unaware that two creatures want to trick it just because it won't give in to the wishes of someone like Ali Morris. If the Fox is cunning, someone like Ali can be called competent. After discovering one of Snooky's abilities, she uses the opportunity to sneak into the location of the Blue Crystal Energy Stone as determined by the AI system. And because her Familiar is in an invisible mood, according to the AI it also can conceal the energy that comes from it which is detected by mutant beasts or its enemies. However, according to the AI, the ability of the elemental spirit in her hands is still limited. Its stealth ability may only last five minutes so Ali needs to hurry. It also took more than two minutes before she reached the opening of a hole where the energy stone was hidden that was detected by the AI system. She noticed it quickly because it was glowing in the dark. But the question is, how can she get that without Fox noticing it? What if it catches them? She will surely be defeated in no time. And she knew she wouldn't be able to go head-on with it when she was still weak. But the AI seemed to know her predicament immediately when it suddenly spoke to her spiritual consciousness.
[Don't worry, host. I know what to do. Just touch the stone.]
“Y-You sure?”
But the AI system didn't respond anymore so Ali couldn't do anything but try it. As soon as her hand touched the Blue Crystal Energy Stone that was the size of a basketball, it spontaneously disappeared and was replaced by a transparent blue stone that was also the size of it. She didn't know where that came from but she seemed to have an idea of what the AI had done. I just hope the Mutant Fox doesn't notice that and get suspicious...
“Squeakee...”
“Huh?”
[You only have one minute left, host. Now hurry up and leave immediately before the Beast reaches here.] Another reminder of the AI system.
Ali noticed the gradual change in color of Snooky who remained in her embrace.
“Sh*t!”
She hastened to leave there. And to make sure the Fox who was just in a corner didn't notice her, who seems to have discovered her sudden disappearance that made her go through the rocks so that if Snooky's power were to fail she would be able to hide immediately.
“Groar! Human! Where are you? What did you do?!”
Oh no, she's doomed!
To be continued. . .
BINABASA MO ANG
When Disaster Strikes: Activating The AI System After Rebirth
Science FictionA Fantasy-Scifi Novel written by RHINELANDER BLURB: Ali Morris is a timid girl but a fighter, due to poverty she became strong with the will to survive. Until one sunny day, the world turned upside down. Is there hope for her w...
