Ruby's POV
Life with Brynth as a friend has always been interesting but when I saw how her posture changed as the ego from her skill took control I was stunned and not just a little bit afraid for my friend. It seemed quite unnatural how quickly she seemed to become something else entirely. And judging from the look on Mr. Arma's face I'd wager he thinks so too.
"Xander is fine. And what might I ask is your name?" Mr. Arma asked as he collected himself after a brief moment.
"Brynth and I haven't decided a name yet but I'm partial to the name Dusk." Dusk elaborated.
Dusk huh? Ruby ran it over in her mind not quite sure what to make of the name.
"Well, Dusk is it? I'm not quite certain why my daughter thinks you're an idiot but if you came from a skill I highly doubt that you're as incapable as she thinks." Mr. Arma said frowning
"With all due respect Xander I've only been in this world for a few hours and to be frank this world is VERY different from the world that I come from." stated Dusk while gesturing at us.
"So you're not something that was generated via the skill? Interesting." Mr. Arma said.
Then where are you from? I thought to myself
"No." Dusk said touching her claw to her chin thoughtfully. "I am defnitely not something created by a skill. The last thing I can remember is someone calling out to me and BAM next thing I know I'm waking up in your daughter's body with a nasty headache."
"I'm not quite sure what a semi is." Mr. Arma said his frown deepening. "Can I assume that you mean you were knocked out?"
"No I mean I'm quite sure I died." Dusk said dropping a bomb while looking me in the eye.
What?! I thought to myself stunned. To think that someone has come back from the dead!
Before I could follow that particular train of thought any further Dusk dropped another bomb.
"All I know is that the world I came from didn't operate under the same laws of physics. We don't have magic there, monsters aren't a thing outside story books, and the only sentient race that we knew of was humans." Dusk said casually.
I stared at her not knowing what to make of all this.
"So are you making any sense of all this?" I asked Mr. Arma
"I'm afraid all I can tell you is that I'm just as confused at this turn of events as you all are."
"So Dusk do you know what you CAN do since you're here?" I ask.
"To be frank I'm still trying to sort through Brynth's memories. If I knew how you all operated your skill screens maybe I could tell you something." Dusk shrugged.
"Just picture a the state of yourself and it should appear in your mind or in front of you it varies on the individual." Mr. Arma said like he was lecturing a small child
Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
"Ah, there it is." Dusk said with a happy expression on her face.
She really does seem quite clueless. I thought to myself when a notification appeared.
Ego Dusk would like to share thier status screen with you do you accept? Y/N
I selected yes and was stunned by what I saw.
Status Mirrors skill holder Name Dusk Race Ego (Pangolian) Status Healthy Heath 65/65 Injury N/A Essence 100/100 Stamina 40/40 Fatigue N/A Strength 13 Dexterity 8 Constitution 12 Spirit (Conjoined with skill holder) 10 (20) Agility 8
These are Brynth's stats?! But her spirit should only be 4! What did that skill do?! I looked to Mr. Arma to see if he could explain what was going on but he looked like he had seen a ghost.
"What?" Dusk asked as Mr. Arma and I looked at the screen then each other.
"It seems you are indeed much more of a boon than we could have anticipated." Mr. Arma said with a strange look on his face. "Do you know how to use any of Brynth's skills?" he asked.
"I dunno lets find out." Dusk said as her right claw became wreathed in black flames. "I guess that answers that question."
"That's not Brynth's skill." I said while trying to keep calm. "Her Flame Claw spell covers her claw in red flames."
"Oh....Well lets check the difference then!" Dusk said before another screen appeared before us.
Additional Ego (Contracted) Transfers the soul of the recently deceased into the host of the skill and merges them while retaining individuality.
Passive: Contracted Ego Gives access to all of the hosts skills and changes the Element of the skill the element most compatible with the Ego (Shadow)
"I think we might have to talk to someone a bit more experienced with strange occurences like this." Mr. Arma said solemly. "It's time I called in a few favors."
"Who do you want to call?" I asked not sure there was a person alive that I knew of who could help.
"Anette." Mr. Arma said. She's an old friend from my days as an Investigator."
"Auntie Anette is coming?" I asked becoming a bit excited at the prospect of getting some advice from my idol.
"No, we'll have to take a trip to see her since she refuses to come into this city." Mr. Arma replied.
"Just who is this Anette person?" Dusk asked. "I haven't had the chance to process all of Brynth's memories."
"She used to be a pretty well know Investigator in the area but one day she just got up and left without a word." I informed her excitedly.
"Just know she can be a bit eccentric at times." Xander said with a slight smile. "Dusk would you mind handing control back to Brynth?"
"Alright, Sure thing Xander." Dusk replied.
"In the mean time you three should get some rest and get ready for tomorrow." Mr. Arma said. "It's going to take us a few weeks of travel to reach the city she's been staying in."