The group followed Katy as she led them to the river and the tree where Val slept the night before. "This is where I saw the Night Stalker sleeping." Katy said, motioning to where Val was sleeping the night before.
"Let's fan out and see what we can find.." Beth said, stopping and looking at the group. "Katy as the speed and stealth specialist, you split off and scout, we'll look around here to see what we can find."
Katy nodded and closed her eyes, a black mist appeared around her and formed into a cloak. "I'll be back swiftly." She said and took off, her speed a blur to Val, the movement too fast for her eyes to properly register.
'What the hell? How fast was that? She vanished in an instant. I barely realized she moved. If she's that fast, what about the others?. I thought they were novices, not full blown A tier adventures.' Val's mind started racing trying to decide whether to run or stay and risk either her stealth skill working or being a familiar being a good thing.
The group started looking around the river and the nearby trees, finding the remnants of Vals hunting from the night before.
"Hey guys I found the body of a onyx fur rabbit, the Night Stalker hunted here." Rose said, motioning for the rest to come over.
"Night Stalkers are territorial by nature so it's probably still around here." Sylvia said. "I'll use a tracking spell to see if I can locate it." her rose gold eyes started to shine. She started to speak, the words twisted and echoing. She moved a hand down to the remains of the rabbit. A faint line of white light fell from her hand and landed on the rabbit. "Too old to get a pin point location but I can tell it's close. I think it's watching us right now."
The group became alert at the mention that they might be being watched. "Sylvia cast a search spell. Rose call Katy back, get ready." Beth said and the group took a formation. Greta and Beth in the front Sylvia and Rose in the back slightly to the sides of the other two.
Rose touched her finger to a ring. It lit up with runes and Katy appearing next to her in a blur of motion, a gust of wind following her.
"What happened?" Katy asked after catching her breath for a second.
'Well at this point I don't think I can escape, considering one of them moves fast enough that I can't even see it.' Val thought still hiding from the group around 10 meters away.
"Syl thinks the Night Stalker is close by, and watching us. She is using a search spell right now to pinpoint it." Rose said, Katy joining the others in the front.
Val stayed still using her stealth skill to hide as best she can. 'This feels like a pick between two bad options at this point. One: I stay put, hoping the magic doesn't find me, and I wait for them to leave, or two: I approach them with the intention of becoming a familiar.' Val sat in thought waiting, deciding to go with option one hoping her skill would hide her.
(Your skill [Unranked stealth] has leveled up to level 2)
'As much as I wish this would hide me, there is no way it's that simple.' Val laughed to herself at the timing happening here again.
"The spell is ready, be prepared." Sylvia said both eyes having a slight glow to them. At a nod from Beth, Sylvia's eyes flared bright and a pulse of magic shot out covering 200 meters. She pointed in the direction of Val and Katy vanished. Val felt a gust of wind next to her and froze.
"Don't move, if you're smart." Val heard a voice say next to her she realized it was Katy.
'Well, I should have expected this in all honesty. But it was worth a shot.' Val thought, still making sure not to move, her wings tucked tight around her body.
"Good, you're smart, now if you want to live, don't resist." Katy said she held her hands out looking at Val. "Appraise."
'Oh come on, she gets appraise and I don't, this is bullshit. BULLSHIT.' Val thought, waving an imaginary fist in the air. 'I mean like, come on, I got reincarnated and am a gods chosen but I don't get appraise, but this random woman gets it.'
A status screen appeared in front of Katy showing Vals stats. She stared at them in deep thought.
———————————————
(Name): Valentine
(Sex): Female
(Race): Night Stalker bat
(Class): None
(Level): 1/25
(Exp): 5:1000
(Health)10/10
(Mp):15/15
(Strength): 3
(Dexterity): 4
(Constitution): 2
(Charisma): 1
(Intelligence): 3
(Magic): 3
(Luck): 0
(Will): 5
(Stat points): 0
———————————————
(Skills)
(Unranked Bite: Level 1)
(Unranked Flight: Level 1)
(Unranked Stealth: Level 2)
[Evolution chance]: 100%
———————————————
(Weakness)
(Sensitivity to light)
———————————————
"Follow me." Katy said, Val status screen still in front of her as she started walking back to the group slowly. Val followed, they arrived back, considering the group was only 10 meters away they got back fast.
"Did you do the contract already?" Greta asked, folding her arms, the runes on the rings of her fingers no longer glowing.
"No, not yet, but she's definitely a chosen. She's level 1, And her chance of evolution is 100%." Katy said she motioned the screen to the others in the group. They all looked at it and nodded at Katy.
"Good starting point, and the evolution would be nice. I think she's a perfect choice. Plus shes named so you can't fuck it up with your god awful naming skills." Greta said, nodding to herself a sly smile on her lips.
"I'm not bad at naming things." Katy said, taken aback, while looking affronted.
"Kathrine, you named your last familiar Fluffy." Greta said and Katy held her hand up to speak but was cut off by Greta again. "It was a reptile."
The others looked away and Val winced slightly. "Not my best I admit but there are worse names." Katy said, trying to defend herself.
"Need I bring up the first nickname you gave me?" Rose said, putting a teasing hand on Katy's shoulder.
"Alright I concede." Katy said, putting her hands up. Val was sitting on a tree next to the group, she knew if she tried to run, she would be caught immediately. "Ok, so shall I make her a familiar so we can get out of here?" They all nodded.
Katy turned to Val and held a hand out, a small pink orb forming in her hand. Katy pushed the orb towards Val, it hovered towards her and entered her chest, she didn't resist, letting it in.
(You have gained a Familiar contract: with Kathrein Rune. You have gained the following [Exp share: Kathrein Rune], {Bond of the familiar})
'Not as bad as I thought, honestly, it's actually pretty good.' Val thought, seeing only two things in the card that she gained.
"Good, now that that's done we can get out of this damn forest." Greta said and the others nodded. They all started moving. Katy held out a small collar and clipped it around Vals neck. She then held up a small ring and a light shot out, consuming val and storing her in the ring. Val blacked out while in the ring, as the group moved out of the forest.