Ben straightens up and looks at his opposite `Yippie more bad news. Can't it even be something good. Or just a compliment.` Ben, slowly annoyed by nothing but bad news, indicates to the Arabella that he is ready.
"I've had a chat with my sisters and we know what's going on now. Your heart cards were the key to the whole thing but let me start from the beginning. What do you know all about the Jack of all Trades cards?" and so Ben begins to tell what he has learned from Maxwell.
The Dyrade nods at true facts and shakes her head at false ones. When he has finished, the dryad begins to enlighten him. "Yes that's right there are Jack of all Trades cards as normal and heart cards and they need a master to increase their cap. Now comes the big one. Your creator has circumvented this limit. First of all, Jack of all Trades heart cards are in only one field.
But the cards are always based around a theme and only when the person has all 5 cards does the set effect activate. The set effect with these cards is that the user always unlocks the entire field. So a magician gets Fire, Water, Electric, Earth and Space cards and his set effect is that he can use all elements.
The second effect is that they no longer need a master. Do you see where I'm going with this." Ben nods he understands what that means. Each of his cards already has the set effect and doesn't need a master as a result, but what would happen if he had all 5 heart cards? Ben explains how he understood the whole thing and Anabella nods and replies,
"We came to the same conclusion. We suspect that your set effect is either all skills in all fields of the world or that your skills get a strong bonus. Thoughts differ among my sisters but that's not the problem. One person alone does not destroy the balance of things. There are always individuals who have unique heart cards and are incredibly powerful. The problem is that you are artificially made.
Imagine someone has 100 Bens who can use all the skills in the world. A small army that can do everything on the leash of a single individuum. That would destroy the balance."Ben nods, understanding what the dryad is getting at but not finished.
"We suspect that the person either used different JoaT heart card holders to bypass the limit or multiple masters in different fields but that's not your concern and my sisters agree that we should help you.
Also, spies have been sent to the Nobel house and to Maxwell. We suspect that there is a backer, because knowing how to put different souls and bodies together is not easy to understate. Such knowledge is not only forbidden but it would lead to crusades. As far as I know, there is no religion that tolerates such things.
Even cultists wouldn't dare do such a thing because they know it would lead to their extinction. So we suspect it's either an individual or a small elite group who are responsible for experimenting on you." Anabella exhales deeply and takes in an even deeper breath of fresh air again. "But that shouldn't concern you right now.
I have some good news too. We've decided that we'll give you a key to the Self-Reflection Dungeon. You can get in without the key, since you have the hero system. Both together will allow you to talk to Gaia. We Sisters hope that it will helpyou to talk to Gaia and ease some of your fears. Also, the dungeon should help heal your soul. There is no physical danger in the dungeon but beware that the experiences can attack your mind and soul but you are not ready right now."
It is evening and Ben looks over at the dryad who is cooking food for him over a fire. She herself does not need food, as she absorbs the nutrients from the ground.
She comes to Ben with a bowl and hands it over. He looks into the stew and takes a mouthful. " There's meat in there. I thought dryads didn't kill animals for their meat." Arabella with a smile just points at Malwin who is still just lying there full.
"Yes we only kill to protect the forest but the meat is what Malwin hunted. He doesn't show it, but he is grateful to you for saving his pup. Otherwise the goblins would have killed it."
"Ah I noticed the trap had metal on it. So it was goblins. Aren't they bad for the forest?" Shaking her head, Anabella explains to Ben about the forest and that she only intervenes if something gets out of control. It is the normal cycle of the forest. They both sit next to each other and talk about the forest, life in it and other small things.
Ben enjoys a simple conversation between friends. At least he thinks Anabella is a friend. No bad news, just some simple conversation. As dusk begins to fall, they both decide to call it a night and go to bed. As Ben walks to his hut he looks after the dryad again. Her backside moves seductively. With a sigh, Ben goes into the hut.