* Date: September 28, 2173

* Time: 9:05 AM

* Location: Unknown

A bird landed on the Ghost's head, and the bird in question started pecking his visor. For the past thirty minutes, Tale has been walking, carrying an unconscious child in a bridal style. Vee, meanwhile, has been doing quick and deep scans on their journey, cataloging fauna and flora along the way.

[Aw! Looks like you have a new friend, Tale.]

''What does it want?''

[How would I know? At least something happened as opposed to nothing...]

[...After all, you did scare a flock of birds a while back.]

''It was not my intention.''

[Uh-hmm, keep telling yourself that.]

Continuing their trek, the bird would follow and casually pecked Tale's power armor. The Ghosts did not appreciate the bird's actions, but he couldn't do anything about it. His prime objective was to search for the Kaynian device and hopefully return to Mars.

''How is the child?''

[Her condition is stabilizing. She should wake up in a couple of hours.]

The sky was tar-black, and the large clouds were moving. Suddenly, heavy droplets hit the titanium alloy of the power armor. Tale may be safe from such weather, but the child in his arms was not.

[We need to find cover...]

[...That tree over there should shelter us until the rain passes.]

Taking cover underneath the tree, Tale would sit beside the tree. While still holding the child in his arms. Surprisingly, an unsuspecting visitor would join them.

[Hey, it's your friend!]

Vee exclaimed as the bird landed on the Ghost's helmet. The bird would then dry itself by flapping and shaking its whole body. Right after, it would look around and notice the unconscious child.

''What is it doing?''

[The bird seems interested in the child you are carrying.]

It then glided toward the child's face and landed safely. Poking her cheeks gently, this continued for several seconds. Until the unexpected occurred, the girl moved her head sideways.

[Uh, Tale, we might be ahead of schedule.]

''What do you mean?''

[This bird just, uninverted, triggered the release of cortisol and other hormones to help her wake up...]

[...You have to place her down now!]

Hedding Vee's warning, Tale immediately placed the girl beside the tree and kneeled in front of her. Meanwhile, the bird flew away as the girl was beside the tree. Vee then appeared on Tale's heads-up display, opening multiple panels and readying several programs.

[Okay, I need to project myself for her to calm down, and I also need to translate the words she would say to us. So that we can tell her she's safe.]

''Why would you need your avatar for this?''

[Oh, I don't know, it's not like her kind has seen a seven-foot tall power armor! You would scare the young girl! Tale!]

The bird landed on the girl's head and started to poke her forehead, making a mess out of her white hair, but gradually. The girl's eyelids opened, and her bright blue eyes gleamed.

''La Mère?''

[Did she speak French just now?]

''Affirmative.''

Opening her eyes wide open, the young girl saw a face made of metal. Her fight-or-flight response was triggered upon seeing the Ghost's helmet. The girl's heart rate started to spike rapidly, but she did not move a muscle.

''S'il vous plaît ne me mangez pas!''

The girl said out loud, as tears started to flow down her cheeks. Afraid at the sight of the seven-foot-tall power armor of the Ghost. Vee then projected herself in front of Tale and adjusted her height, similar to a human's.

[Okay, I reconfigure your vocabulary to French so you can understand and speak to her fluently.]

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

''Understood.''

[Good, all I need is to calm the child down. Should be a piece of cake...]

[...Ahem. Hello, young one.]

Vee said in a soft voice, capturing the child's attention. Opening her eyes, she saw a beautiful blue lady wearing an outfit unfamiliar to her, and she even sported eyewear the child had never seen.

''Hello?''

[Hi! My name is Vee. What's your name?]

''Joan...''

''...Where am I?''

[You are currently five hundred meters away from your settlement.]

Joan stared at Vee blankly. Not understanding what her words meant. It wouldn't take long until Vee figured out Joan's confusion, giving herself a facepalm.

[I'm so stupid. You didn't understand anything I said just now?]

''No.''

[Okay, let me try again. Uh, your village was burned down by wyverns. So we had to take you with us.]

''What about my mother?''

[I'm sorry, but she didn't make it.]

Joan couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her heartbeat increased as her mind processed the information given to her. She refuses to believe her mother died; denial was her first reaction.

''You're lying...''

''...You're lying!''

[I am not lying to you, Joan. My friend behind me even created a burial for her back at your settlement.]

''She wouldn't leave me! She wouldn't!''

[Accessing video archive. Presenting video.]

Suddenly, a white screen appeared before Joan. Replacing Vee's position was a video of the confrontation between Tale and the wyverns. Joan watched as the video advanced to the scene of the wyverns devouring her friends and destroying her village. They were getting massacred in front of her eyes, and the weird weapon wielded by the iron golem took down the wyverns so fast. Right after the wyverns are dealt with, the scene changes, and now it's the ruined porch of her home.

''That's my home.''

When the iron golem opened the door, she saw herself and her mother. A conversation between the blue lady and the iron golem ended, stating how she was alive and how her mother perished. Tears started to flow from her cheeks once more. Afterward, she saw the iron golem create a burial made out of stone for her mother. In another scene, the iron golem carried her unconscious body away from the village.

[That's what happened, Joan.]

The white screen then disappeared, and replacing it was the blue lady. Vee watched as the child stayed quiet for a moment. Meanwhile, the rain finally stopped, the dark cloud cleared away, and the sun shone brightly.

''Where do I go?''

[That's what we're here for...]

[...My friend and I are newcomers to this land. Like you, we need help. We can help each other.]

Thinking about what Vee had said, Joan found it tempting to agree. After all, her mother was gone. Her entire village burned down to ruin, and there was nothing she could do.

''Will you help me?''

[That choice is on you, Joan.]

Standing up, Joan went to and tried to hug Vee. But only to phase through her avatar and hug Tale's knee instead. The Ghost dared not to move; this was the first time this had ever happened.

''Okay.''

Joan said shyly but then realized she was hugging the iron golem's knee. This prompted her to freak out upon knowing. Stumbling to the ground, she saw how the iron golem's eyes stared at her.

''I'm sorry!''

''It is alright.''

Tale responded to the frightened girl. Hearing the iron golems voice for the first time. Joan was astonished; she never heard of a talking golem before.

''You can talk?''

''Affirmative.''

''How? I never read about a golem that could talk.''

''What is a golem?''

This caught Joan by surprise. But before she could say something. Vee would appear beside the iron golem.

[Well, my friend over here is not a golem.]

''Then what is he?''

[Someone you can call a Ghost.]

''Ghost?''

[Uh-hmm! He's a soldier that fights the bad guys well...]

[...And he'll protect you from every baddie here!]

Vee stated, which got Joan's attention. She saw how the Ghost took care of the wyverns. That weapon alone solidifies Vee's statement.

''Really?''

[Yes. Now, can you tell us where the closest settlement is located?]

"Hmm. I believe there was a town east of our village. If I recall correctly."

Jackpot, the duo was heading eastward. They have been walking east for the past three hours. And here they were, making progress in locating the Kaynian device. Vee sighed in relief. All they have to do now is to find a way to disguise Tale's enormous stature and gather information inside the town.

''Are you okay, Miss Vee?''

[Oh, I'm fine. I'm just relieved to know that we finally have a heading...]

[...Okay, we still have some walking to do. Joan, your body still hasn't recovered, so my friend will carry you.]

''Is it okay, mister Ghost?''

She asked kindly, and a moment of pause occurred. Vee watched as her partner contemplated how to respond. Responding with a nod, Tale agreed.

''Affirmative. Your body needs to rest, and walking would exhaust you before we could arrive in the town you mentioned.''

''I see. As long as you okay with it, mister Ghost.''

Joan then stepped forward along the metallic hands of the Ghost to pick her up. Tale then stood up and placed the girl on his left shoulder. The girl was lost for words as she saw how far from the ground she was. Fear would compel her to hold the helmet of the Ghost. A particular bird would also land on his head.

[Hey Tale, it's your friend again.]

''This avian is not my friend.''

[Oh, cheer up. Joan's on your shoulder, you know.]

Vee then shrunken her body and floated toward Joan's shoulder. This caused her to pause as she tried to process the information. Vee, meanwhile, was chuckling to herself, seeing the girl's reaction.

[Did I surprise you?]

''Uh-huh.''

[Buckle up because we have a long way ahead of us!]

Stepping out from the shade, Tale, Vee, Joan, and the bird moved forward. Continuing their trek eastward, heading toward their destination. Joan took advantage of Tale's height and gazed at the surroundings. For the first time, she wasn't afraid, crying, or reminded of what had occurred in her village. She also took an interest in the bird standing on the Ghost's head. The bird recognized no harm in interacting with the young elve and started playing with her.

[Do you have a name for him?]

''Yep!''

[What is it?]

''Terwa!''

[I'm glad you find it interesting! Terwa has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?]

Vee responded, gaining a smile from Joan. The Ghosts listened as Vee and Joan engaged in a conversation. And along with hearing the fact that Joan gave the bird a name.

[Say, Joan. What is the name of your kin called?]

''Elves! We call ourselves elves.''

[Really?]

''Yes. Okay, my turn...''

''...Are you a spirit, Miss Vee?''

Spirit typically pertains to or influences the human spirit or soul, as opposed to material or physical aspects. Of all the things Joan could ask, why would she compare herself to a Spirit? Is it because she couldn't differentiate her holographic avatar?

[Ah, no. I'm not a spirit. I am what you would call an artificial intelligence.]

''Artificial intelligence?''

[To simplify it for you. I was not born like you or any animal on this planet. But rather. I was made.]

''You were made?''

[Yeah, pretty much.]

Joan contemplated what Vee meant by made. There was no way a person could just be constructed with magic. The A.I. clarified that she wasn't a spirit and explained that she was an artificial intelligence.

''Town spotted ahead.''

[Well. Looks like we're here...]

[...Joan, my friend, is going to place you down. So that you can stretch your feet, and because we're near the town you mentioned.]

Joan nodded in return as Tale picked up and placed her on the ground. Joan was astonished about his height, which made her perspective of him huge. Suddenly, she noticed something behind him. It was small at first, but it began to increase in size as it got close.

''Mister Ghost behind you!''

All of a sudden, a shadowy silhouette loomed over the Ghost. Turning around, he saw a wyvern dawning what looked like armor. And on its back was a rider of some sort controlling the wyvern similar to a horse.

[What the.]

''Vee status.''

[On that wyvern is an armored elve, possibly armed.]

Vee responded to him. The wyvern then lowered its head and revealed its rider. The elves then pulled a bow and arrow, directing them toward the Ghost.

''Invader! Surrender yourself now, and you shall meet a painless death!''

The unknown rider demanded. This prompted Tale to take out his battle machine rifle and point it at the newcomer. An intense stare-down occurred as both fighters waited to see which one of them shot first.

[Joan, see that large rock in the side?]

''Yes.''

[I want you to hide behind it. While we handle this situation.]

''Mister Ghost is gonna beat the bad man, right?''

Vee nodded in response. Joan and her pet bird then ran after the sidelines and hid behind the rock. Vee's avatar then dematerialized and appeared on Tale's head-up display.

''Prepare to die! Invader!''

The wyvern then raised its wings, trying to intimidate the Ghost. But it would be a fruitless attempt. Vee then scanned the armor pieces on the wyvern and got the results.

[That armor is practically useless. You're clear to engage...]

[...Kick his ass, Tale.]

To Be Continued.