Chapter 05: The Gift of Language
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Lucian sat cross-legged on the rough stone floor, the silence around him punctuated by the distant hum of alien voices.
Outside, the village hummed with life, and somewhere among the glowing structures, Krosh and Vysha discussed the fate of their strange visitor.
For Lucian, the journey had only just begun, and the answers he sought were waiting in the light of the alien stars.
His mind raced as he tried to process the events of the past day. The translucent beings, the strange architecture, and the system notifications it all felt like a fever dream.
He rubbed his sore arms, wincing at the aches left by his battle with the Skitherclaws.
Just as he closed his eyes, trying to calm his scattered thoughts, a soft chime echoed in his head.
Ding!
System Notification:
Universal Language Installation initiated.
Estimated time to completion: 4 hours.
"What the hell?" Lucian muttered, his eyes snapping open. He stared at the air as if he could glare at the system itself.
Another notification followed almost immediately:
During installation, temporary translation services have been activated. The host will be able to understand nearby conversations.
"Oh, great. Now I'm a living translator. What's next, alien karaoke?" he grumbled, his sarcasm masking his unease.
"Whatever," he said sarcastically, standing up and stretching. "Now I can eavesdrop on my captors. What's next?"
The system, as usual, didn't respond.
The faint sound of conversation caught Lucian's attention. He crept toward the wall, pressing his ear against the cold, smooth surface.
The alien voices, once incomprehensible clicks and hums, now transformed into words, clear as day.
"Krosh," a soft, melodic voice began it was Vysha, the healer who had treated his wounds. "The Elders are wary. They believe he is untrustworthy."
A second voice, deeper and more authoritative, replied. "They are correct to worry. He is weak. He was injured by mere Skitherclaws. Even a child could fend off those pests. Yet he collapsed after battling them."
Lucian clenched his fists, his pride bruised.
"And his skin," Vysha added, her tone curious. "It is opaque, dull... so unlike ours. Perhaps he is cursed. Or maybe he was cast out from his people. We cannot take such risks."
Krosh's voice grew stern.
"The Chief has decided. He will be given two days to recover. After that, he must leave. We cannot endanger the village for a stranger."
Lucian's breath quickened. His heart pounded as their words sank in.
"They're going to throw me out," he whispered, pacing the small room. His fingers raked through his disheveled hair as he tried to think.
"I'm injured, I've got no weapons, and they're just going to toss me out like garbage? Damn it, damn it, damn it!"
He slammed his fist against the stone wall.
"System, you screwed me! You dragged me to this alien planet with no warning, no weapons, and now I'm about to get kicked out by glowing jelly people! If I die here, I swear, I'll haunt you!"
As if mocking him, the system remained silent.
"Oh, right," Lucian muttered, recalling the earlier notification. "It's busy installing that universal language nonsense. Perfect timing, huh?"
Trying to calm down, Lucian focused on the system's interface, hoping for a distraction. The blue holographic screen appeared before him, showing the backlog of notifications.
Ding!
Mission Complete:
Defeat 10 Skitherclaws.
Reward: 50 EXP.
Ding!
Extra Achievement:
Additional creatures defeated (20).
Bonus Reward: 30 EXP.
[For completing the first mission with extra achievement one of the skills will be unlocked.]
Ding!
New Skill Unlocked: Extraction.
Skill Description: The host can extract stat points from defeated enemies.
(0-10 random based on the ability.)
He stared at the last notification, his mouth hanging open. "Wait, what? Extraction? I can steal stats?"
Curiosity got the better of him, and he opened the skill description for more details.
Extraction: Upon defeating a target, the host can absorb random stat points from the target. This stat is permanently added to the host's attributes (0-10).
A grin crept onto Lucian's face. "This is insane. I can literally get stronger by beating things up. All I have to do is survive long enough to use it."
But as excitement bubbled up, reality came crashing down.
"Right. Survive," he muttered bitterly. "Out there. Alone. With nothing but glowing eyes watching me and monsters crawling around every corner."
He slumped back onto the stone bed, staring at the faintly glowing ceiling. "Okay, think, Lucian.
You've got two days. Two days to figure out a way to stay here or at least not die when they kick you out." I need to gather as much information as i can.
His thoughts turned to the Skitherclaws and the new skill he had unlocked. If he could find another group of creatures to fight, he could extract their stats and grow stronger. But the idea of battling more monsters so soon after his last fight made his stomach twist.
Still, what choice did he have? If he wanted to survive, he needed power.
A faint noise outside the door caught his attention. The translucent figures passed by, their glowing eyes casting soft light against the walls.
He studied their movements, their fluid grace, and their shimmering skin that seemed to ripple under the starlight.
For the first time, Lucian allowed himself a moment of wonder. This alien world was terrifying, yes, but it was also stunningly beautiful.
The architecture, the glowing vegetation, the starlit skies everything here felt like a dream.
But dreams could quickly become nightmares.
As the hours ticked by, the system continued its installation process, and Lucian steeled himself for what lay ahead.
He couldn't rely on these people to protect him, and he certainly couldn't rely on the system to save him.
"They think I'm weak," he whispered, his voice low and determined. "They think I'm a burden. Fine. Let's see what they think after I use this new skill."
His fingers curled into fists as resolve filled his chest. He wasn't going to let some glowing jelly aliens decide his fate.
Outside, the village hummed with quiet activity, and the stars above twinkled in the dark sky. For Lucian, time was running out. Two days. That was all he had. And he wasn't about to waste a second.
He will gather all the information he can in these two days. But first he needs food. He hasn't eaten anything for two days…
Growl Growl!
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