Ning drifted closer to Rhys, his translucent form shimmering slightly in the morning light. "I think I do," he replied, his voice still a soft whisper. "I'm…different, too." He gestured vaguely at his own form, knowing a detailed explanation would likely only confuse the already bewildered musician.Rhys's gaze followed Ning's gesture, his eyes widening as he took in the shimmering, almost transparent figure. He didn't recoil in fear, however, but rather with a strange sort of fascination. "You're…made of light?" he asked, his voice hushed.Before Ning could respond, a new notification materialized, this time smaller and less ornate than the previous ones, appearing near the bottom of Ning's perception:
[New Objective Detected: Establish Communication with Entity: Rhys.] [Bonus Reward: Understanding of Basic Illusion Manipulation Principles.]
Ning decided to be as straightforward as possible, given the circumstances. "I'm…energy," he explained. "I was…reborn into this world in this form. I can sense different kinds of energy, and I noticed yours was…unstable."Rhys looked down at his lute, his expression a mixture of sadness and frustration. "It's always been like this," he sighed. "I try to create something beautiful, but it always comes out…wrong. Glitched."Ning then explained about the system and his own ability to perceive energy, including the notification he had received about Rhys. Rhys listened intently, occasionally interjecting with questions, his initial apprehension slowly giving way to curiosity."So, you can…see the glitches?" he asked, his eyes gleaming with hope. "Maybe…maybe you could help me control them?"Another notification appeared:[Bonus Objective Met: Established Initial Communication with Entity: Rhys.]
"I can try," Ning replied. "But I'm still learning about this world and its energies myself."As they spoke, Zara, drawn by the unusual energy fluctuations and the sound of Rhys's music (and subsequent silence), emerged from the treeline. She was a young woman with a quiet demeanor and an almost ethereal presence. Plants seemed to instinctively move away from her, as if wary of her presence. Upon seeing Ning, her eyes widened slightly, and she paused, a look of apprehension crossing her face.A new, more urgent notification appeared for Ning:[Detected Entity: Zara (Designation: Unknown)] [Detected Energy Signature: Highly Reactive, Potentially Dangerous Environmental Influence] Warning: Entity exhibits extreme sensitivity to environmental energy fluctuations. Exercise extreme caution.
Zara's presence seemed to amplify the ambient energy in the clearing, causing the air to shimmer and distort slightly. The System Log within Ning's mind began to display a rapid stream of data:[Environmental Energy Fluctuations Detected: Increased Volatility.] [Detected Anomalies: Rapid Plant Growth, Localized Gravity Shifts (Minor), Spontaneous Combustion (Low Probability).] [Recommended Action: Maintain Distance and Observe.]
Rhys, noticing Zara, waved to her. "Zara! It's alright! This…this is…" He hesitated, unsure how to introduce Ning. "He's…like us."Zara cautiously approached, her eyes fixed on Ning's translucent form. "Like us?" she repeated, her voice barely a whisper. She could feel the strange energy radiating from him, something unlike anything she had ever encountered."He can see the glitches," Rhys explained excitedly. "He says he can help me control them!"Zara remained silent for a moment, her gaze still fixed on Ning. Then, she spoke, her voice laced with a deep sadness. "The glitches…they're not just in the music," she said. "They're everywhere. In the trees, in the earth, in the very air we breathe."As she spoke, Ning's Energy Sensitivity picked up a distinct pattern in the energy flows around them. The trees behind Zara, towering structures of binary code, began to flicker and shift, their glowing leaves displaying fragmented images and cryptic error messages. The ground beneath their feet trembled slightly, and a nearby bush spontaneously burst into flames, only to vanish a moment later, leaving behind a puff of digital smoke."This forest…" Zara continued, her voice trembling slightly. "It's…dying. The code is corrupted."Ning's System Log confirmed her fears:[Location: The Whispering Binary Trees (Designation: Designated Quarantine Zone)] [System Status: Critical Instability. Potential for Catastrophic System Failure Imminent.] [Recommended Action: Immediate Evacuation.]
The trees around them began to whisper, not with the rustling of leaves, but with a low, electronic hum, a chorus of distorted data streams. The very air seemed to vibrate with an unseen energy, a palpable sense of impending chaos. Ning knew, with a chilling certainty, that they had stumbled upon something far more dangerous than just a few malfunctioning abilities. They were at the epicenter of a system-wide collapse.