Outside of Vale, out in a small clearing surrounded by boulders, trees and snow came two, panicked voices of two people, one with long, smooth brown hair with a pair of antlers on her head, while the other had short, blue hair. In front of them sat the cause of all their problems.
“X-xia, what do we do?! Alisha’s going to be furious at me!”
“Madam Aubrey, I believe it’s best to handle this situation before worrying about the futur-”
“Alice hungry!”
“Ah, she’s so cute! No, wait, that’s not the problem! Xia, I made a mistake!”
“Madam Aubrey, you simply wished to assist with her evolution. I do not believe you should be solely held responsible for this…unexpected situation.”
“Xi Xi, Alice hungry!”
For a moment, the usually expressionless face of Xia crumbled, revealing a smile as she looked at Alice with a loving adoration. Reflecting in her eyes is what appears to be a small child at first, about ten years in age. However, this child was no normal child.
She had deep, black hair and eyes. From her back sprouted small raven wings, while her feet were not ordinary human feet but were talons that a bird, or rather a raven, would usually have. Her facial features contained a mix of Alisha in it. She was unsteady on her feet, and kept glancing around before returning to grasping the hem of Xia’s shirt.
“Xi Xi!” Unable to pronounce Xia’s name correctly, the child named Alice tugged on her shirt.
“M-Madam Alice, I-I’ll get you some food!” Unable to suppress her caring voice that was mixed with slight panic, Xia dug into her bags before pulling out a ration pack. Tilting her head, Alice shook it a moment later.
“Yucky! Alice wants yummy!”
Xia looks a bit more panicked before Aubrey dug into her own bag, pulling out a few monster cores she’d received from Alisha. Upon seeing them Alice tried to eat them out of Aubrey’s hand, as if she were a bird pecking at food.
Not seeming to mind, Aubrey had a stiff smile on her face. “How did this happen, Xia?”
“I…I do not know, Madam Aubrey. My expertise does not lie in evolved monsters. What I know is it should not have been possible for her to become an evolved monster so early on, I can only guess that it had something to do with her evolution…and your involvement.”
Grimacing while watching Alice eat, Aubrey remembered the details vividly of the time Alice had begun evolving.
It all started hours earlier. After successfully hunting a pack of valuable monsters, Alice had started to act oddly, nibbling at Aubrey’s hands as well as crying out. After checking Alice, she’d found Alice had reached level 10 and likely was ready to evolve. Remembering the words of Elise, Aubrey had dug into her bag and pulled out the Tooth of Erebus and gave it to Alice along with dozens of the Dark-type magic cores.
After eating everything within seconds, Alice hugged herself with her wings, falling into a slumber as a mass of Darkness magic surrounded her in a large cocoon, far bigger than Alice herself. Upon seeing this, Aubrey set up her magic tools to create a barrier around the pair, as well as spreading a powder that would ward off any curious monsters.
After doing all of this, Aubrey had become nervous. She’d never witnessed the evolution of a monster before, and this was a bonded monster of her dear friend! Without much thought, Aubrey hugged the cocoon and provided it with lifeforce, overdoing it a bit as evident by the loss of five levels. While she had been providing lifeforce to the cocoon, Xia had arrived and somehow bypassed the barrier she had placed.
After two days, the cocoon finally cracked as a strong wave of energy flooded out, followed by a large amount of Darkness, painting the usually dull grey sky of daylight completely dark, covering the clearing where they sat in a darkness deeper than the lowest floor of the Tomb of Lilith. As the cocoon crumbled away, it revealed the small child that Aubrey and Xia were now stressing out about, who was dressed in a mismatch of clothing Aubrey and Xia had found in their bags.
“What should we do? This entire situation is abnormal. A bonded pet becoming an evolved monster isn’t something I’ve heard about, nor should her level be reset to 1.” Looking worried, Aubrey watched as Alice finished eating.
“She may only be level 1, but I can sense her power to be much more powerful than that, her mana signature alone is abnormally strong.” Glancing at Alice, who was now looking around with a curiosity befitting of a child, Xia frowned slightly. “We should head back to Vale. We need to meet with Elise, as Alisha is currently undergoing training, and seek what to do.” Rubbing her chin with thought, Xia seemed unsure of what to do as she suggested the only thing that came to mind.
“Ugh. It’s my fault, I hope she won’t hate me.” With an expression like she was on the verge of tears, Aubrey began to carefully pack away her belongings, being careful as to not let up the barrier while Xia moved a hand to her rapier.
“Can you handle them?” Keeping her voice low while slowly packing, Aubrey avoided looking at Xia.
“Given their inability to hide themselves away from you, let alone me, they will not be an issue. I count six, what about you?”
“Five, but I can also sense something else that is faint. They must’ve been attracted here when Alice’s cocoon opened and the darkness covered the sky for a moment.”
“Then they must believe they can claim her as a slave. Their stares are not of concern but rather greed. They’ve been eyeing me with looks of hostility while also attempting to check the System.” As she was technically level 55, Xia could detect when anyone below her level attempted to check her System. Slowly moving a palm up her sword arm, runes appeared as it passed before fading into her skin. She does the same to the other arm before closing her eyes.
“Keep the barrier up.” Saying this softly, Xia opens her eyes as she disappears with a faint of purple smoke and runes being left behind. A scream resounded throughout the clearing and looking at the course, Aubrey saw Xia gripping the neck of an adventurer with a Silver Grade necklace.
Sensing a pulse of mana, a repeat of what happened to the Bishop in the Tomb of Lilith happened once again. Purple cracks ran along the adventure's neck before he burst apart, a deafening silence followed before five others emerged from the hiding spot and shouted in anger while drawing their swords and charging Xia.
Before they could move closer however, a small panicked voice shouted out. “XI XI!” Underneath three of the adventurers, large claws emerged from their shadows, grasping them before squeezing them, crushing their bodies completely. The only reaction those three had was of shock, never being able to mutter a word as they died.
Gasping, Aubrey looked at Alice who was standing with her hand out before she started swaying. “Alice sleepy.” Catching her before she fell, Aubrey looked down at Alice in disbelief. The ones she’d just killed were level 41, yet this little girl had killed them easily…well, at the exchange of her entire mana pool. Because Alice wasn’t bonded to her, Aubrey could not see her Stats, but knew from Race she was far from normal.
Level 1 Alice
Raven of Erebus
Health: 10,000/10,000
That amount of health, or rather lifeforce for Aubrey, was normal for those at or above level 45. That excluded vampires or other monsters that depended on blood or some form of lifeforce.
Turning back, Aubrey saw Xia finish the last two adventurers off with ease, before turning into a puff of purple smoke and runes once again, reappearing where she had been.
“I can watch her if Madam Aubrey wishes to collect the loot of those fools.”
If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
Aubrey removes the magic tools that provided the barrier before moving over to quickly claim the bags of the now dead adventures. Xia kneels before the sleeping Alice, softly patting her hair.
“Strange. That magic was strong enough to kill three so easily, yet she appears as a level 1. An irregularity of the System, or is she something different?” Muttering aloud, Xia continues to softly stroke Alice’s hair and before long, Aubrey returns.
“Madam Aubrey, I believe it might be best for us to figure out what has happened to Alice before we see Alisha. This is something outside of our expertise and Alisha is currently undergoing training. I do not wish to add to her worries, rather I wish to find the answers, or at least determine what has happened, before we meet with Alisha.”
“Mm, I had thought the same. For the time being, let's find Elise, she is the only one I trust apart from Alisha.” Carefully picking up the sleeping Alice, Aubrey nodded to Xia. “I’ll carry her while you keep us safe. I have a method to retreat back to Vale instantly, though I’d like to avoid doing so unless it’s absolutely unavoidable.”
Keeping her rapier unsheathed, Xia takes the lead while staying close to Aubrey who carried Alice. Upon reaching Vale after three days of travelling slowly, as both did not want to disturb Alice’s sleep, they arrived at the gates and after having their identity confirmed were allowed in. Alice had slept this entire time, but they were not concerned as it wasn’t uncommon for a newly evolved monster to sleep for a few days.
Attracting some curious, and hostile, looks while walking, Aubrey and Xia continue to walk. Xia had sheathed her weapon upon entering Vale, however she remained vigilant. Her orders had been to protect Aubrey and Alice until Alice had finished evolving, but with the situation being unique, Xia had decided to continue protecting Alice until such a time her safety could be ensured.
Upon arriving at and entering the Guild building, it did not take long for Elise to find them. Initially Elise approached them with a smile, which turned into a slightly confused look upon seeing the young girl in Aubrey’s hands then into sheer and utter confusion.
“Come with me.” Quickly speaking, Elise led the three down a hall and into a small room with a bed. A standard short stay room within the Guild, intended for those that needed treatment as soon as possible or needed a place to stay for a few nights. Aubrey carefully lays Alice down on the bed while Elise looks confused.
“Aubrey, Xia, just what happened?” Speaking softly, she turned her attention to the two who looked nervous still.
Explaining the situation in detail to Elise, Aubrey made sure to give her all details, regardless of how big or small. Being used to how Aubrey explained problems to her, Elise made sure to soak in every little detail she could. Once Aubrey finished, confusion could still be seen clearly on Elise’s face.
“I have never heard of such a thing. In fact, it shouldn’t be possible.” Standing there pondering for a moment, Elise pulled out a slap of paper with a brown feather on it before it lit up and burned out quickly.
Soon, the door to the room and an elderly man entered. With a beak instead of a nose and mouth, large hawk wings behind him and talons in the place of feet. As Northern Hawk enters, he glances at Elise before his eyes snapped to Alice, a frown appearing.
“What is this?” Speaking in a low, grumpy voice, he turns to Elise who explains the entire story to him once again. After the story had finished, Northern Hawk started looking over Alice with a keen eye before turning to Elise and tilting his head to the door, before walking out. Elise follows him, leaving the three in the room. Closing the door, Northern Hawk had a deep frown on his face.
“Do you know what has happened?” Asking with some curiosity, Elise leaned against the wall looking lost.
“Tsk, you can’t figure it out yourself?!” Crossing his arms with a grumpy expression, Northern Hawk looks at Elise.
“So you don’t know either.” Chuckling, Elise had known Northern Hawk for some time and could tell by his response that he too was unsure.
Wings twitching in annoyance, Northern Hawk shrugged. “As you know, the higher level an evolved monster becomes, the more our features match our original monster form. We still don’t understand why some monsters evolve to become so human looking, even that young deer in there doesn’t remember her evolution or time as a monster with her so-called perfect memory.
“I can only guess that the combination of that Tooth I gave the young fox in combination with the young deer’s excessive use of lifeforce during the evolution process has created something…new. Strength of a being at or nearly level 50 yet only shows as a level 1.” Scratching his head with an annoyed expression, his wings ruffled a bit.
“Regardless of how we act, we still don’t know anything about the System or this world after all.” Sighing, Elise heard noises coming from the room.
“ALICE HUNGRY!” An angry childish voice rang out, muffled by the wood but yet clear. The sounds of Xia and Aubrey could be heard, attempting to calm Alice and offer any sort of food they had.
“That boss of yours should know, right?” Northern Hawk asks after looking away from the door to the room.
“He isn’t here. He’s once again being showcased along with Roland in an attempt to prevent war from breaking out. Even though he’s attached to the Guild he still wants to prevent war from breaking out…” Sighing, Elise shook her head. Only a select few knew about the possibility of war coming to Vale and it was out of the greed of a country who had targeted Vale for some time.
“Hmph, so they’re still barking at us. Either way, that youn-”
Before he could finish, a darkness covered the hallway, completely obstructing their vision before it rescinded. Standing between the two was the young girl who had a moment ago been laying in the bed.
“El El!” Alice grabs Elise’s hand. “Alice hungry!” Giving her a face that was on the verge of tears, Alice pulled at Elise’s hand as Elise’s heart melted from the sight. Bending down, she smiled gently as she pet Alice’s head.
“What do you want to eat, Alice?”
“Yummy! Alice want yummy!”
“What is yummy, Alice?” While Elise spoke to Alice, the door to the room slammed open as Xia and Aubrey rushed out in a panic, looking down the corridor before their eyes landed on Alice in relief.
“Yummy! Yummy rocks!” Wildly gesturing with her hands, Alice looked around as if hoping the so-called yummy could appear.
“S-she wants monster cores, I think the Dark-type ones.” Speaking in haste, Aubrey stood to the side looking at Alice with concern.
Elise glances at Northern Hawk who snorts. “Fine, wait here young raven, I’ll bring you yummy.” Turning on the spot, he walks away quickly. Though he had tried to hide it, Elise had noticed his eyes had become rather soft when looking at Alice. Northern Hawk had always had hardened, sharp eyes that showed no emotion.
“Yay! Yummy!” Smiling at Northern Hawk’s words, Alice tugs on Elise’s hand once again, trying to lead her to the room once again.
It did not take long for Northern Hawk to return. Reaching into a dimensional bag, he pulled a rather large bag out and dropped it onto the bed. Opening it, it was filled to the brim with Dark-type monster cores.
“Yay!” Giggling, Alice starts eating them right out of the bag without using her hands.
“Ah! Alice, not like that!” In a panic, Elise starts teaching Alice how to grab a core and eat it. While this happened, Northern Hawk reached into his dimensional bag and pulled out another three bags of Dark-type monster cores.
“For this one time only, it’s on the house. Tell the young fox to come around more, I need more business.” Handing the bags to Aubrey and Xia, he leaves quickly. Chuckling, Elise stood up as Alice started eating the cores one at a time with her hand.
“That sly old man. He’ll never admit it, but he adores his customers. He doesn’t receive many customers, so the ones that come regularly to his store he tends to adore them. Well now.” Turning to Alice, Elise smiled stiffly. “About what Northern Hawk said…”
Explaining everything that she had discussed with Northern Hawk, the two only seemed more confused, though Aubrey looked guilty. “So it is my fault.”
“No, it's not. You have nothing to be at fault for. Alice is fine, happy and healthy. Alisha won’t blame you for anything, in fact I’d imagine other than being a bit shocked, she’ll be rather happy.”
Alice’s ears perk up at Elise’s words. Seemingly satisfied with what she’d eaten, half a bag of cores, she looked at Elise.
“Where’s mummy?” Tilting her head, Alice looked around before standing from the bed, looking at Aubrey.
“Mummy?” Muttering that word for a moment, Elise looked confused before realisation arose on her face. Xia and Aubrey also came to the same realisation. Alice was asking for Alisha!
“S-she’s a bit busy, Alice. We can see her soon.” Putting Alice’s head, Alice scrowled.
“NO! ALICE WANTS MUMMY!” Rather than looking angry, Alice instead looked cute.
“Madam Alice, may I hold your hand for a moment?”
Stepping forward, Xia gently lifted the angry Alice’s hand. Stroking it lightly, the light of a purple rune couldn’t escape Elise’s notice as she watched the rune appear and then sink into Alice’s hand. Quickly deciphering the rune, she knew it was an Arcane rune, with one purpose. Tracking.
“Alis-Mummy is very busy, we can go and visit her in a few days, okay?” Speaking unnaturally softly, Xia attempted to calm the agitated Alice. She moved her palms along her own arms, more runes revealing themselves.
Shaking her hand free from Xia’s gentle hold, Alice spun around before locking onto a certain direction. “Mummy!” Suddenly a deep darkness spread out around the room quickly, rescinding within seconds. Alice had disappeared.
In a flash of purple smoke, Xia too disappeared. Elise, watching this with a bit of shock, knew Xia was following Alice. Aubrey looked shocked.
“T-that’s right! Alice just teleported earlier too!” Looking at Elise, Elise shrugged.
“If I had to make a bet, Alice locked onto her unique link with Alisha and has started making her way to her. Either Xia will catch up and bring her back…or Alice finds Alisha. I’ll alert the Royal Guard, go to Flowing River, Alisha is there currently. Hopefully Xia catches Alice beforehand…and I hope the masters of Flowing River don’t assume her to be an enemy.”
Aubrey nods with a determined look before running out of the room while Elise sighs and pulls out another slip of paper. Burning it, she waited for the representative of the Royal Guard to arrive, hoping that things wouldn’t escalate at Flowing River.