Chapter 20: Meeting the mystery supporter

I had met my goal of reaching level 5 and it took all my will power to not sit down right there and start howling. I might have been a 30-year-old in my previous life, but I was a 16-year-old right now carrying the world on my shoulder without solace. I added 1 point to strength and 1 to agility adding to my strength and speed. Level up magic worked again, and I gained a new lease for life with a warm current running over my body, healing most of the injuries and bruises. I could feel that the claw wound on my chest had scabbed over and was a lot less painful.

Name: Caishen

Age: 16 years

Location: Dungeon

Level: 5 (Exp 125/312500)

Attributes:

Physical

Strength – 13--14(Physical power and carrying capacity)

Endurance – 10--11 (stamina and health)

Agility – 8--9 (coordination and reflexes)

Mental

Intelligence – 12 (deductive reasoning, memory, logic, and rationality)

Wisdom – 10 (self-awareness, perception, and insight)

Charisma – 8 (persuasiveness, leadership, and planning)

I decided to leave, and, in my haste, I started to cut across through the center of the ruins at top speed, which landed me in the center soon enough and surrounded by almost 25 wolves followed by the alpha of the pack which looked meaner and stronger than any of its subordinates. They were all growling and howling at me, causing the hair on my neck stand in fear. I was paralyzed. My brain stopped functioning and I was sure I wasn’t looking at wolves but at my inevitable death. The joy at reaching level 5 had completely vanished.

At this moment, when all hope was lost, I felt myself enveloped in a white light and transported to a place of indescribably serenity. I was suddenly in a garden full of peach blossom trees facing a pond where swans were frolicking amidst gently swinging lotus flowers which created a scene of heavenly beauty, enchanting the spectator into losing their breath. The place and scenery were so far removed from the ruins and pack I was facing causing a dramatic shift so phenomenal that a feeling of profound pandemonium enveloped me. I watched the scene unblinking for a while before the realization that wolves seemed to have disappeared set in. My curiosity took over and I started looking around trying to find out if I had been teleported here, who my benefactor was.

“Caishen”

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I heard a feminine melodious twinkling voice call out my name which came from the direction of the lake, but I couldn’t see anyone.

“You won’t be able to see me as I do not have a physical form” the voice responded as if anticipating my dilemma.

I asked “How did you bring me here? What happened to the wolves?”

There was no response and when I couldn’t stand the silence, I called out again, changing tack and said with a slight bow-

“Greetings from Caishen. How may I address you, my benefactor.”

Response was a gentle laughter “Caishen I am Gaia, the custodian spirit of Earth. I have brought your spirit into this small independent space using the fold in time.”

I didn’t understand half of it – the spirit space and fold of time really baffled me, but I decided to give it a chance and move on, just in case questioning these terms lead to a science lecture, which I wasn’t equipped to handle. So, I asked.

“Are you the one who has been sending me gifts, as a lot of those things seem like something from earth” I already knew the answer in my heart, but I wanted validity.

“Yes. Do you like them.

We don’t have much time so let me tell you the reason for my visit. As you know Earth is too low level to participate in ownership event of this planet. With the environment deterioration, as it stands today, we need access to spirit energy to replenish some of our losses and to create stability. Without which we are heading towards irreversible destruction. It would be ideal if we could create a connect with a planet such as this and allow the natural flow of spirit energy into the Earth atmosphere. We are too far for any of the energy to reach us but with a medium this wouldn’t be a problem.

As per the rules set by the Central Galaxy Management, I am not allowed to help you but learning from the humans inhabiting Earth, I used a loophole to direct you via foot notes and send you small gifts. I still can’t send anything obvious or big, but I could feel the despondency in your heart and wanted you to know that you are not forgotten. You are mine to protect as much as I can. So, don’t despair.”

The elation in my heart at this moment was beyond words. Then she asked

“Is there anything you need?”

This question was so poignant that I was at a loss for words. From ‘can I go home’ to ‘can you make me stronger’; thoughts went through my head at the rate of million a minute. Yet I asked.

“Is there a way for me to win?”

“You are working hard. But others are stronger with many advantages. Don’t take on the burden of winning, just do your best.”

“Can we still continue with the footnotes and gifts? They mean a lot to me.”

“I will find a way. Now I am going to send you at the beginning of this dungeon floor away from the wolves.”

I wanted to say thanks and ask if she had any clues about the event, but I found myself standing just on the edge of the third floor looking at the back of the Alpha. With one step back I was in the dark and safe again. The roars and howls couldn’t do anything to me.

This meeting was surreal, and I couldn’t decide if I had made it up to comfort myself but then I did escape the wolf disaster so it couldn’t be an illusion. With many more questions in my heart I left the dungeon (with all the torches) and headed back to my safe room for the last few hours of my privileged day.

I didn’t know when or how the event was supposed to start so I could only enjoy a hot bath and feast on a grand dinner using some of the onions and meat I had plundered. I carried on with my exercise, practice, and writing sticking to the routine. I thought about using the second crystal but decided against it. I hadn’t sensed any spiritual energy yet, so I decided to use these few hours to meditate instead. With the mantra of ‘I am not alone’ my heart was at peace. For now, I went to bed on my lumpy mattress that was with me only for tonight.