Zeldritzon [Cycle 5] - Morning
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Current Location:
[Crystal Shelter]
[UvoSath Forest of the UvoSath Realm]
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The next day, KiAera woke up bright and early. She stretched and yawned, feeling refreshed. Her gaze flicked to the Osseods who were still asleep, but Amber was awake, watching her.
"Good morning, Amber," she greeted, smiling.
"LeeLee! Good morning!" Amber chirped in that oddly musical tone she had. She hopped from one foot to the other, clearly in a good mood.
KiAera chuckled, running her paw through Amber's fluffy crest of feathers. "You're energetic today. Did you sleep well?"
Amber bobbed her head in a series of quick, enthusiastic nods. "LeeLee feel good! LeeLee sleep well!"
KiAera smiled and patted Amber's head one last time before standing up. She stretched again, rolling her shoulders and flexing her toes. She felt surprisingly energized, despite having only slept for a few hours. Perhaps it was because of the delicious light-blue crystals she ate last night?
She glanced at the Osseods.
They’ve grown so much since I first found them.
They were still asleep, but they seemed to be stirring. She knew that they would be waking up soon, so she decided to get started on a workout. She padded over to the Liorex egg and placed a gentle hand on its warm surface.
"Good morning, little one."
It shimmered in response. KiAera gave it a smile before heading to an unoccupied area of the shelter.
She spent some time stretching, warming up her muscles. Once she was ready, she began her usual routine of pushups, sit-ups, and squats. She then stepped out the Crystal Shelter and began practicing with her taut, long ears. Why did this world gift me these strange, retractable ears?
She struck out at the air, imagining enemies in front of her—slicing, stabbing, and punching with her retractable ears. They moved faster today, smoother, more accurate. The satisfaction that came with that progress hummed inside her. She even tried lifting large rocks and tossing them.
[STR Boost +1]
[STR Boost +1]
[STR Boost +1]
The movements felt clumsy and unnatural at first, but after a while, she started getting the hang of it. She found herself able to control her ears with more precision, more finesse.
KiAera also noticed something else when focusing on a particular aspect of herself…
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
★ [MereKick] - Beast - TECH: 3 > TECH: 4
★ [Ear Slash] - Beast - TECH: 4 > TECH: 5
★ [Ear Punch] - Beast - TECH: 4 > TECH: 5
★ [Claw Swipe] - Beast - TECH: 1 > TECH: 3
★ [MereHeadbutt] - Beast - TECH: 1 > TECH: 2
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
And that's when it happened.
A flicker of light, not from the sky or the crystal shelter, but from her own body. That darn sigil. She paused mid-motion, staring at her hand as a faint glow surrounded it.
"What the...?" she murmured.
["Sacrifice APeX Power to increase [Skill Power]?"]
["Sacrifice [6 APeX Particles] to raise [1 TECH] of [Ear Slash] to [TECH: 6]?"]
Her mind shifted for a moment, contemplating the odd energy system she was tapping into. How many times did she have to use a skill before it grew stronger? Could she speed up the process by pushing herself harder?
"Sacrifice... APeX? No thanks," she muttered, waving away the strange offer with a flick of her fingers. There was something about it that felt… off, like she was giving up too much of herself for a shortcut. Better to grow naturally.
As she continued to practice, she noticed Amber watching her curiously. The LeapLeap seemed interested in her movements, but also hesitant. KiAera paused and beckoned to her.
"Want to join me?"
Amber blinked and tilted her head to the side. That was until the LeapLeap shook her head and darted away, entering the Crystal Shelter.
"LeeLee no!"
KiAera smiled and shrugged. She returned to her exercises, focusing on perfecting her techniques. Her movements became smoother and more fluid. She found herself able to strike with greater force and accuracy. She could even launch her ears like spears, sending them flying through the air and striking targets with pinpoint precision:
Stolen novel; please report.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
★ [MereKick] - Beast - TECH: 4 > TECH: 6
★ [Ear Slash] - Beast - TECH: 5 > TECH: 8
★ [Ear Punch] - Beast - TECH: 5 > TECH: 8
★ [Flare Flick] - Fire - TECH: 1 > TECH: 3
★ [Claw Swipe] - Beast - TECH: 3 > TECH: 4
★ [MereHeadbutt] - Beast - TECH: 2 > TECH: 3
★ [MereSwiftness] - Beast - TECH: 4% > TECH: 8%
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
After half an hour of practice, KiAera felt satisfied. She worked up a good sweat, enjoying the feeling of her body moving. Once she finished the last bits of her workout, she took a few moments to catch her breath and cool down.
She headed back inside and sat down to meditate. She focused on the flow of power through her body, visualizing it as a river of energy flowing through her veins. She took deep breaths, relaxing her muscles and calming her mind.
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
[WIL Boost +5]
[RES Boost +5]
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
[Insight] - TIER: F (100%) > F+ (1%)
꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱꒰ᐢ. .ᐢ꒱
"Welcome back, GamaGen. Where have you been?" KiAera asked, opening one eye with suspicion.
GamaGen floated above her, its cover slightly open.
⎾'A fine morning, Miss KiAera. I was inspecting the surrounding area. It is important to be alert in an unknown environment.'⏌
KiAera smiled, amused. "You're right about that," she agreed. "I'm glad to see that you're taking your job seriously."
GamaGen nodded. ⎾'It is my duty to protect you, Miss KiAera. I will do whatever it takes to ensure your safety.'⏌
KiAera chuckled. She opened both eyes and stared at the book for a moment before standing up.
"Speaking of unknowns, teach me more about the Zeozon language today. I need to be able to communicate with more than just my little group."
GamaGen nodded. ⎾'A wise choice, Miss KiAera.'⏌
GamaGen began teaching her the basics of Zeozon, showing her how to form different words and sentences. KiAera listened carefully, memorizing each word and its meaning. She practiced speaking them, repeating after GamaGen. The words of the language were like a spell, a song that was both strange and familiar at once. It flowed through her mind, filling her with warmth. She could feel it resonating within her, echoing in her very soul.
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
[Zeozon Language Proficiency] - TIER: Basic (1%) -> Basic (10%)
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
After a while, she began to understand what GamaGen was saying. She found herself able to pick up the meaning of basic phrases and even some more complex sentences.
KiAera paused as a thought struck her. "Can you teach me to write the language, too?" she asked.
GamaGen nodded. ⎾'Of course, Miss KiAera.'⏌
It began teaching her how to read and write Zeozon, showing her the different symbols and characters. KiAera paid close attention, determined to learn as much as possible. Throughout the session, she came to note that she appeared to have been siphoning everything from GamaGen. Her mind felt sharp and focused, and she was able to absorb information much more quickly than usual. It was almost like a high.
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
[Zeozon Language Proficiency] - TIER: Basic (10%) -> Basic (25%)
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
"So, what now?" she asked. Her ears drooped, realizing the mental toll that the session was taking on her.
GamaGen hummed thoughtfully. ⎾'You've learned a lot today, Miss KiAera. Perhaps it would be best if you took some time to rest and reflect upon what you've learned.'⏌
KiAera nodded. "That sounds good," she agreed. "I could use a break."
She stretched, feeling haggard after their lesson. She glanced at Amber, who was busy nestling with the Liorex egg.
"Hey, Amber," she called out in the Zeozon language.
The LeapLeap perked up, striding over to KiAera. "LeeLee!" she chirped.
"What are you doing?" KiAera asked.
Amber blinked, tilting her head. She didn't understand the question. KiAera switched back to English and repeated herself.
"What are you doing, Amber?" she asked.
"LeeLee keep egg warm," Amber replied.
She continued to converse in the Zeozon language, stumbling over the words and phrases that were still foreign to her. Despite the challenges and occasional mistakes, she persisted, determined to get it right.
Eventually, she managed to speak simple sentences without too much difficulty. She could ask questions, give directions, and make requests. She even started using the language to communicate properly with Amber.
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
[Zeozon Language Proficiency] - TIER: Basic (25%) -> Basic (28%)
૮꒰˶ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ˶꒱ა
"Thank you for teaching me, GamaGen," KiAera said, smiling at the floating book. "I appreciate your help."
GamaGen nodded. ⎾'It is my pleasure, Miss KiAera,' ⏌ the book twisted 360 degrees as it zoomed really close to her face. ⎾'Now get some rest. You look rather raddled.'⏌
KiAera chuckled, brushing off the lingering fatigue. "I'm fine, GamaGen. Just need to stretch a bit more."
Just as KiAera prepared to settle down, a sudden gust of wind howled through the Crystal Shelter, rattling the walls.
KiAera froze, her ears twitching instinctively. The tremor grew stronger, shaking the crystal walls of the shelter. Amber bolted upright, her feathers puffing in alarm.
"LeeLee? What is it?" Amber chirped nervously, backing toward the Liorex egg.
KiAera narrowed her eyes, heart pounding in her chest. "Stay here," she whispered, creeping toward the shelter entrance. She didn't like the look of this. The forest had been unusually peaceful the past few days. Something had shifted.
Another rumble shook the ground, harder this time. Her [Insight] flared instinctively, but before she could scan for danger, a loud crack echoed from above. KiAera jerked her head upwards, catching sight of something massive crashing down through the trees. A shadow loomed over the shelter, blotting out the morning sun.
A deafening roar shattered the air.
CRASH!
The impact sent tremors through the earth as a creature landed just outside the Crystal Shelter, its silhouette barely visible through the dust and debris.
"Kobolbos at my side!"
The Kobolbos sprang into action without hesitation, darting to her side with Scarbol at the lead, spear at the ready. He hissed, bristling like a cornered beast.
KiAera raised her own with her tail, glaring at the debris-covered beast.
"Ready up," she muttered through clenched teeth. What the hell is that thing? She couldn't see through the dust yet, but she didn't need to. Her gut already told her enough—this wasn't just some random forest beast. This was something worse.
Slowly it cleared, and the wing-crawling beast emerged, with Big Osseod atop its back.
"Big Osseod…?" KiAera blinked. Perched on top of the creature—no, on top of the Skyrawltal—was the large crystal mouse-like creature, looking far too proud for its own good. Meanwhile, Kyrawl's wings still twitched from the impact, dust clinging to its feathers.
"Osseod and Skyrawltal brings back crystals! Fly! Fly!" Big Osseod waved a stubby paw at a large sack hanging from the wyvern's beak.
For a second, KiAera thought maybe she had overdone it during her training. That she was seeing things. Her companion casually flying in on one of the most dangerous creatures in the forest? Just what happened while she was working out?
KiAera pressed a paw to face, disbelief battling with her nerves. That's what this was? A crystal run?!