SHIVERS-IN-SUNLIGHT

Arriving at the new dungeon, Shivers was worried. Xe didn’t imagine that a snail could do anything against the enemies xe encountered in the last one, but Skips had ensured xir that the dungeon was much simpler. Still, the snail xe brought with xir was one which xe came to dislike a lot because of its horrible temper and its penchant to bite xir extremities. Weirdly enough, once Shivers transferred some of xir attributes to Bites-Your-Stinger, the snail was docile and followed xir commands easily. Shivers told it to perch on xir back as xe ran over to the dungeon. It did so without trying to nibble on xir shell, which already was a minor miracle to xir. Then, inside of the dungeon, xe let Bites-Your-Stinger roam against the Salamar. The small snail looked as if it was outmatched against the giant lizards. However, it rushed them and bit into their extremities and easily dispatched them.

Clicks-and-Rushes, the elderly textile-maker of the village and the adjacent ones helped by using his foundational skill to make fabric by producing a magical fabric that could entrap enemies and, as some bad throws had proven, allies.

His wife Burrows-Early, one of the farmers, used her foundational irrigation skill to literally rain down damage and debuffs onto the enemies.

These two took down most of the dungeon, that is, the parts that the snail didn't handle. Shivers was amazed by how they could use their foundational skills to fight the Salamar and they quickly gained levels.

The Salamar fell swiftly and eventually, the group left the dungeon, encountering a group of aliens waiting at the dungeon. Shivers now really wished that Skips was around, but she had left them to bring others to the dungeon. Skips vaguely said: “Hello, the dungeon is free now, you can delve,” trusting that the translation of the black system would handle the language differences.

A tall human with much pinker skin than Skips and a somewhat broader body, who was carrying a weapon, apparently a sword, said: “Where is Sarah? I have been looking for her.”

Shivers made a vague gesture, which made the humans take a step back. “Skips-one-Step is currently bringing another group here. It will take a while as there are folks who don’t have longstrider at a high level. Skips will have to restrain her own skill so the rest can keep up.”

He responded: “I don’t like to wait.”

Shivers understood: “No one does, but patience turns seeds into trees.” Xe hated repeating a statement that xir parents often used, but xe saw no better way to express it.

The human didn’t seem to understand: “I don’t ask you for pithy sayings, I ask you to get Sarah here. I don’t want to wait here in the miserable heat!”

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Shivers stated calmly: “Her name is no longer Sarah, it is Skips-one-Step. It is somewhat a question of allegiance, I guess, but also, it is just pretty hard to pronounce for us.”

The human shrugged: "You know who I mean. Tell her that Rush is waiting for her. That is my name. She knows who I am and will be eager to see me!"

A voice was heard from behind: "She is not!" Looking around, xe saw Skips with a group of elderly Scorpions-of-Tsanh arriving.

She started to explain to the group how to delve this dungeon. Then, she looked at Rush and said: "Do you want something from me?"

Rush looked angrily at her: "I was promised that we can come together and marry, your father even allowed you to move in with me when we arrived here and you just ran away. What is the reason for that?"

Skips looked uncomfortable: "Do you really not see the reason?"

Rush shook his head in a gesture that seemed equally naive and non-curious.

Shivers felt the tension and responded: "She doesn't want you, Rush."

His immediate reaction was anger: "I am not talking to an outworlder! Keep your opinion to yourself!" He looked at Skips: "I know that you are playing hard to get, just admit it! Everything will be easier!"

Skips motioned to her group: "We go in there, now, I join you to fill the group," she then turned to Rush: "If I see your disgusting face in there, I will end you and say that the monsters did it, so stay the fuck back, understood?"

CVETKA KRALJ

Rush looked like a poodle who had been in a rainstorm as he returned to the community building. No one said anything to him, they knew that he had mentioned calling out Sarah and his facial expressions told everyone how it went. He was typing on his communication device and muttered to himself. She looked at the screen and shuddered, whoever he was talking to was egging him on. She tapped onto his shoulder. As he looked around, she received a notification: “Sharing the effects of Yanigalean Resistance with Rush Sparrow.“

Rush looked at her in confusion: “What…? I am feeling somewhat strange.”

“My skill kinda went off and provided resistance. I think you were under some kind of mental influence.” Cvetka explained.

“Oh, your red class provides this?” he asked.

She nodded: “Indeed. It’s called Yanigalean Resistance.”

“I feel that my brain is all muddled now. I vaguely recall being driven to pursue Sarah, but…” he stopped.

Cvetka nodded: “I understand. So far, my class seems to break influences, like that of the mental Salamar, so could you have been under some kind of mental influence.”

Rush nodded slowly: “I guess, but it cannot be as my parents kept me safe from undue influence.

Cvetka nodded: “And they are Wielders of Influence?”

He nodded: “They are.”

She put a hand on his shoulder: “Have you considered that they use their influence on you?”

He shook his head: “They would never…”

She shook her head; “Are you sure? Many people would try to prevent their children from making bad choices.”

He looked at her, eyes wide open. Then he wrote a message: “Did you use influence on me?” and sent it.