Episode 3: Bad omen
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It has been weeks since Xiaoling and Isa started helping out Ai. So far the village has been coming along nicely, the huts were redone, the villagers has more food and Xiaoling made sure that there were no monsters near by. Though, she was afraid of fighting it, seeming that she will "die", so she just led them away from the village.
As of now Isa, Xiaoling and Ai, are in the forest collecting fruit and herbs. "I can't thank y'all enough for helping out my village!"
"It's nothing really...." Xiaoling said 'I can't exactly tell her that it's a mission....'
"Actually, it's becau-" A hand slapped over Isa mouth
"Shut up."
Ai sweat dropped while putting an apple in her basket. The sky was soon painted with multiple colors, it was dawn. "We need to head back." Ai said with a hand over her forehead staring at the sky
Xiaoling agreed and they began in walking back. As they got back, it was completely pitch dark and a full moon was out. Hearing the howling of wolves near by, they rushed inside of the cottage.
"It's strange, my left eye is jumping." Xiaoling said and looked out the cottage window.
"I feel you. I mean full moons all week? That's out of the ordinary!" Ai remarked
"Too unordinary... "Xiaoling muttered quietly without them hearing her
Xiaoling looked out into the dark abyss of the night one more time before closing the ragged curtains. Without knowing that danger was heading their way, they slept peacefully through the night.
••••••••
Meanwhile
"Master, we found a small village in the South just as you requested. What is your next order?" A boy said bowing at the unknown mysterious person who was sitting on a throne.
The mysterious person spoke in a deep masculine voice, "My next order is for you to order a attack and start off by harming the village people. I have a feeling that things will get very interesting from there."
The boy servant bowed before he left, while the mysterious person was left alone. He/She began laughing, "Oh my, looks like we will meet again," he looked down at a picture of a well known figure, "Ai."
••••••••••|
Waking up to a fresh new morning, Ai began opening up the curtains. She stretched and yawned before going to make Xiaoling and Isa breakfast. But to her surprise, Xiaoling was already up. Truth be told, Xiaoling didn't sleep at all without a bad feeling tucked into her gut.
"Good morning!" Ai greeted cheerfully as always, she received a well respected grunt as a response. Xiaoling looked awful. Her hair was greasy and messy, she had bags under her eyes and she looked like she could be triggered at any moment.
"Have a rough night?" Ai asked trying to start a conversation with her, it didn't go to well when she received yet another grunt. "Would you like some coffee?" she tried again, but this time Xiaoling looked up and nodded.
After Xiaoling had some coffee, she began feeling more like herself. "Sorry about that, I'm not a morning person and not use to having less sleeping time." She apologized
Ai smiled in response, "Oh it's fine, please don't worry. What made you stay up without any sleep?" Ai could easily tell that she stayed up all night, she kinda did look like she went through hell and back.
"...." Xiaoling stayed silent for a moment or two before asking, "Do you happen to know how to fight?"
Ai looked at her a while, "I know a little martial arts, why?"
Xiaoling stared at her hesitating a bit to say the next sentence, she sighed before becoming very serious. "Ai, I'm afraid that... one day you will have to fight for your life and as soon as that moment happens, I need you to be prepared."
Xiaoling knew she didn't make any sense to Ai, but she couldn't exactly explain what was going on. Even though she is still very weak, she can teach Ai the basics of magic. "Ai, when we first met, you were saying something but got cut off, you were going to ask for me to assist you in training, right?"
Ai eyes had widen, she was honestly shocked that Xiaoling remembered. Ai smiled and said, "Yes, I actually was. Is that offer available?"
"Yes."Xiaoling smiled, but underneath that smile, she held onto the truth.
flashback-
It was after Ai had gone to sleep when Xiaoling groaned. "When am I able to level up!?"
"Please, calm down. Ai might wake up because of your loud mouth. The answer to your questions is, training." Isa replied in a polite manner reading a book that was well known as "Moby dick"
Xiaoling looked confused, "Training? What are you talking about? I've been training! I just now replished the small energy I had in the beginning!"
"That's not what I had meant. I was implying that you train Ai." Isa said and flipped a page
"Huh?Why?"
Isa placed a book mark on the page she was at and took off her reading glasses that Ai had given to her. She stood up from the cot she was laying on and stood next to Xiaoling. "Well if you must know, in this world you have three main sources of energy, such as the sun,trees or animals. However, if you have no connection of any one of those three, whether they were already juiced out or just cut off, you have two special ways of getting energy. One is going to the tree of life which you must go through a tough obstacle that even I can't get through, or two," She paused before continuing "You can use humans or demons as a infinite energy source. The only problem with using demons is that their negative energy will affect you. So the only option you have left are humans. If Ai grows up to the strong, then you will be ten times as strong."
Xiaoling stood there shocked at what she was hearing, "I don't think I am able to do that. I am not comfortable of using Ai as my energy source."
Isa didn't look at her when she replied."Mi'lady if I may, I will share something with you." She stopped and Xiaoling nodded for her to continue, and in a dark tone of voice, she said "The way you are now, is unacceptable in this world. You must either live or die. The survival of the fittest. I'm very apologetic that you must use her in this way, but if you want to survive then..."
End of flashback-
It's not like she could do anything, what Isa said was the truth. No matter how many times Xiaoling denies it, she knows it is true deep down. Xiaoling felt incredible guilt from doing this, but it was just as Isa said, Survival of the fittest.
Xiaoling watched as Ai picked herbs, guilt was filling her conscious. She bit her lip and tried to distracted herself. When all of a sudden Ai jumped up, clearly remembering something. "Xiaoling! I just remembered something!"
"Huh?" Xiaoling made a noise in confusion when Ai ran into the cottage. She quickly came back out with two bags in her hands.
"I had went into town the other day when you and Isa were asleep, and I got you this!" Ai sat down one of the two bags and dragged out three necklaces. The necklaces were crystals each having their own colors. One was a pastel green, another a crimson red and the last one a pastel purple. She gave Xiaoling the red and green one. "Give the green one to Isa!"
Xiaoling put the crimson red crystal around her neck and called Isa over to put the green one on her. "Why must I wear this?" Despite Isa's tone, she was actually blushing.
"I got you something else! Well to be honest I got it for free from a man. He was actually quite strange and also helped me pick out those three necklaces, but after that he got hit by a wagon." Ai explained and Xiaoling sweat dropped. It wasn't the first time it had happened. Like when a tree branch missed her by two inches because she stopped to remember something, or that other time she thought she saw a coin and ducked just in time before a ball had hit her. Apparently, it was one of the kids who threw it on accident. These were not coincidences.
"Well here you go!" Ai pulled out a chess game, "I figured you would know how to play, since I have no clue."
Isa and Xiaoling eyed had widen, "I-Isa... is that what I think it is?"
"Mi'lady... for once I am speechless."
"THAT'S A GODS RELIC!"
•••••••••|
Heyo! happy Halloween everyone! I just wanted to thank you for reading this book and I'm sorry for the slow updates. I also want to explain a few things in this story.
•First off regarding paragraph 8, when your left eye jumps something bad is coming, when your right eye jumps something good is coming.
•Second regarding paragraph 29, When Isa said "demons" she means creatures having dark energy within them and when she said "Humans" it means anything that has light energy.
•Third regarding paragraph 32, Xiaoling can't really do anything. For all she knows, she has to survive to get back to her own world. This does NOT mean that she has no feeling towards Ai, she actually is taken a liken to her.
•Fourth is regarding to Xiaoling power. OKAY. So basically the only way Xiaoling can defeat her opponents is by pausing her game and striking. BUT it is ineffective to people well over a level 8 rank 5 as she said in the second chapter. Even doing that takes so much energy from her that it takes weeks for her to replish that small energy she had.
I think that's about it, thank you for reading! If I made any mistakes, be sure to tell me. Bye~