Michael frowned as he watched Bob go into his room with a limp and a downcast face.

Must’ve had a rough trip… poor Bob.

Before Michael could think of a way to help his friend, he heard a voice, similar to his, in his head.

Michael, great creature without fur or scales, heed my call.

Michael stops moving when he hears his name. He focuses his senses to see if Evelyn was messing with him but he hears the voice a second time. Subtly turning his attention to the psion stone in his hand, Michael notices it glow.

The psion stone waits for Michael’s reaction but the tall and powerful-looking individual does not reply. For the psion stone, Michael was unreactive to its call.

Then Michael heard the voice a third time but this time, it was extremely despondent.

No… it cannot be… your mind is weaker than Bob’s?

Despite being able to pierce Bob’s thoughts, the psion stone could not pierce Michael’s mind. All the creatures the psion stone had encountered before had not been able to shield their minds.

What made Michael different?

While the psion stone was confused, Michael was deep in thought.

This psion stone can talk… This is new.

Michael thought of summoning the log but he didn’t want to let the psion stone know that he had such an ability. He also preferred that the psion stone didn’t know he was aware that it was active.

According to the log’s previous record, psion stones are large concentrations of psionic energy, something similar to a soul.

Ever since Michael learned from Goddess that the planet, and other planets, were asleep, he became curious as to what Goddess meant.

Did that mean that the planets were living beings? And was Earth a living being that had its own thoughts and will?

And since Michael and Evelyn were both in Teremarae, was it a living creature as well?

So far, Michael hasn’t seen any signs that Teremarae is a living thing, at least according to the definition that Michael was familiar with.

Despite not seeing any signs, Michael didn’t believe in what he knew. Teremarae was a completely different world. In his time here, Michael found things that slowly proved what Goddess told him.

One of these things was the psion stone. It was an object that goes against conventional knowledge. It proved that non-organic objects could be considered alive.

While Michael was deep in his thoughts, the psion stone kept trying to establish contact with his mind. The reason the stone could not connect with Michael’s mind was due to a simple fact, Michael had a far more complex brain compared to the simple animals that the stone has previously connected to. Bob’s brain was more advanced than the non-evolved animals of the forest due to Michael’s presence but it wasn’t on a human’s level yet.

In addition to his more complex mind, Michael had an innate resistance to mind-altering effects due to the mental stress he had endured during his time in Teremarae, in addition to an immensely powerful body. The psion stone would also have a hard time invading Evelyn’s mind since she was given an equally talented and high-potential body.

After he finishes thinking, Michael comes to a decision.

Okay, let me hide this first then I’ll review the log.

Michael hides the noisy psion stone in a fur pouch. Once safely stored, Michael goes to his storeroom. Looking around, Michael approaches a small chest hidden inside the room. Opening it, Michael sees a few unique items that he collected over time. There was a metal ore that Michael couldn’t melt, a stone that was always hot, a piece of wood that can conduct electricity, and most importantly, an inactive psion stone.

He stores the noisy psion stone beside the quiet psion stone.

Would there be an effect if I put the active stone beside the sleeping stone?

After storing the psion stone, Michael summons the log and makes a claim.

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I wonder… psion stones become active because of living creatures.

Claim: Psion stones become active because of living creatures

Answer: True

Michael nods. He expected that so he wasn’t too surprised.

Still lost in thought, Michael sits in front of the small chest. To calm himself, Michael taps the steel knife strapped beside him. It was one of his greatest achievements as of late and it helped reduce his anxiety and tension. After all, most creatures in Teremarae haven’t evolved yet to resist such a weapon. The steel dagger augmented by Michael’s strength was capable of piercing the Draco’s unbelievably tough body.

Remembering the batan titan, another powerful superspecies, Michael contemplates if he could hunt one of those monstrous beasts using his steel weapons.

After a period of contemplation, Michael opens their chest again. He looks at the sleeping psion stone. Ignoring the noisy psion stone, Michael takes the sleeping one instead. He then closes the chest.

Michael could still feel the active psion stone trying to pierce his mind but now that he was aware of it, he actively pushes it back, effortless for Michael’s current state. He imagines that a larger or more powerful psion stone could easily break his mental defenses.

After taking the sleeping psion stone, Michael leaves the storeroom. Once outside, Michael summons the log. He commands it to turn to the page containing information about the psion stones.

Psion Stone

Classification: Psionic Object (Teremarae-Sourced)

Description: A psion stone is an object created through a reaction that occurs when the physical universe rejects an immense amount of psionic energy. The psion stone is a stable container for an immense amount of psionic energy which also acts as a conduit to whoever is using it, allowing them to manipulate the psionic energy within it. Due to the nature of psionic power, all psion stones have the ability to develop sentience.

Possible Effect: Theoretically anything

Possible Evolution Number: NA

Looking at the information in front of him, Michael then asks the log to record another item.

Log, can you create a description of the active and sleeping psion stones?

The log responds in the affirmative.

Awakened Psion Stone

Classification: Psionic Object (Teremarae-Sourced)

Description: When a sleeping psion stone is physically connected to a living creature, there is a chance that the psion stone awakens. The probability of the psion stone awakening depends on how powerful the living creature it comes into contact with. An awakened psion stone is sentient but its level of intelligence is based on the last creature it bonds with. Due to the nature of psionic energy, the awakened psion stone needs to feed on other forms of energy to maintain its consciousness. A host connected to an awakened psion stone can create psionic effects despite not being awakened.

Possible Effect: Theoretically anything

Possible Evolution Number: NA

Sleeping Psion Stone

Classification: Psionic Object (Teremarae-Sourced)

Description: This is the neutral state of a psion stone. While a psion stone is sleeping, it acts as a battery that absorbs the ambient energy around it. The absorbed energy is used to maintain its stability. A host that is actively connected to an awakened psion stone can use the energies stored in a sleeping psion stone which acts like a battery. An awakened psion stone will slowly become weaker and weaker if they have no host in which case it will become a sleeping psion stone.

Possible Effect: Theoretically anything

Possible Evolution Number: NA

Michael sees the two new logs.

I see. So this sleeping one can act like a battery, at least until I awaken it.

Michael contemplated connecting with the sleeping psion stone to awaken it but he was hesitant.

He particularly disliked the part that psion stones fed on energy. It was easy to guess where it took its energy from. And Michael preferred having a stress-free mind. Michael also notes that an active psion stone can revert to a sleeping one if it lost its host.

Log, I have another claim.

The log lightly shakes.

Psion stones can drain their hosts dry.

Claim: Active psion stones can kill their hosts.

Answer: True

Michael nods, expecting that.

Another claim.

The log responds positively again.

Psion stones quickly kill their hosts.

Claim: Psion stones quickly kill their hosts.

Answer: False

Hmmm… so it’s not quick? Is the rate different for everyone?

The log doesn’t respond.

Yes yes, it has to be in a statement form… tsk, always so stingy. Okay, whatever. The rate at which a psion stone will kill its host is different depending on the host.

Claim: A psion stone’s rate of destroying its host varies.

Answer: True

Wasn’t so hard, was it?

Michael sighs then he looks at the sleeping psion stone once more.

It was cool to the touch.

Michael closes his eyes. He concentrates for a bit.

Then he feels a pulsating aura in the stone itself.

Are you the-

“HEYYYY!”

Michael quickly opens his eyes. Looking up, he sees a smug-looking Evelyn.

“What you doing?”

Michael looks at the psion stone. The pulsating was gone. Realizing that he almost connected with the psion stone, Michael ruefully smiles. He pockets the sleeping stone.

+Nothing much. You just got back?+

Evelyn smiles and then shows Michael a small fur bag in her hand.

Michael raises an eyebrow.

“I got some fish back from a lake. Want to eat?”

Michael nods.

+I’d love to eat.+

Looking around, Evelyn frowns.

“Is Bob still not home yet?”

+No, he just got home earlier.+

“Oh! I got him some of his favorite fruits, I’ll just give it to him.”

Michael shakes his head.

“No?”

Michael nods.

“Why not?”

+He’s sleeping.+

“Already??”

+Yeah, he’s tired.+

“Ah… okay okay. Must have had a bad trip.”

+That’s what I thought too.+

“Well, more food for us.”

Michael stands up.

+Yeah, let’s go.+

Michael walks ahead.

Evelyn was about to follow when she heard a voice in her head.

Evelyn, great creature of beauty and strength, heed my call.

Turning around, Evelyn looks at the storeroom.

A ghost?

No, not a gho-

Fuck that! I ain’t dealing with no ghosts. Michael can handle that one!

…

Evelyn quickly runs out of the storeroom.