System Break

Reyas ran and it was almost as enjoyable as watching Gisael. Every curve of her buttocks bounced and I imagined being inside her - enjoying the feeling of her wrapped around me.

I sighed wistfully and focused on the task at hand, her qi streams. I watched them closely as I kept up with the sedate pace. My first impression was she was efficient, like all innate abilities a race possessed. They were extremely efficient compared to my hack attempts at mimicry.

After zoning in and out and running for most of the day I saw her replenish her stamina with qi and it dawned on me. She didn't have one qi-body ability, she had several specialties. I wasn't sure if it was three, four or more.

When she was jumping and placing her foot in just the right spot, I noticed the streams whip and pulse in her tendons. Then there was when she ran to catch Ailen, the streams licked her legs and hips for a short time before relaxing back into their normal pattern.

So far, I noticed she used qi-body agility, qi-body speed, and qi-body stamina. If had to guess I bet she had strength and one that warmed her body as well.

I only had qi-body and it was inferior and wasteful compared to how she used her qi. Although my core was larger than hers, her efficiency meant she would outlast me easily.

Speed excited me. Other than raw power there were a few things that made a difference in a fight. Height advantage, surprise, and speed.

I began to imagine that qi-abilities were like a technological advantage over an enemy. In the real world it was electronics and the like, here it was qi.

By the end of our trip I was trying and failing badly at mimicking her speed ability. Nothing good came easy.

We arrived at the glade and I was sweating. I put my hands on my knees and breathed hard.

Ailen looked at me quizzically. "Surely that was an easy pace for you."

I put my hand on his shoulder and straightened myself. "Working on a new ability."

His mouth made an oh shape.

Reyas looked around the glade. Her eyes wide and she was quiet. I took her by the hand and led her to the willow.

"Mother," I said, and she appeared.

She was a similar brown to me, but with more green vines and patches covering her body. Her eyes were alien and they looked Reyas up and down. Then she inspected me.

She circled me without saying a word and Reyas shifted nervously. I still held her hand in mine and gave it a friendly squeeze.

"Change," Mother said. "You change and you bring change." She exhaled slowly and it was her alien version of a sigh. "It is to be expected with you - Benzhi with the sight."

Reyas reacted to the last word and her face jerked around to look at me.

"You follow him without knowing he is sighted?" Mother said. "Hmm. Good for you."

I smiled sheepishly. "It's not a big deal really."

Mother shook her head a single time. "No. It is a big deal." She mimicked the way I spoke, and it sounded funny coming from her.

She looked Reyas in the eyes as if searching her soul. "She is connected to you and you have pledged to the forest." Mother titled her head. "I will not ask her to pledge, but if she decides, I will accept."

I looked at the uncertainty in Reyas' face. "It is too soon to decide," I said.

"Reyas," she said and held out her hand in the mountainfolk fashion. Mother did not return in kind but took her fingers in her own.

"Welcome Reyas. You are our guest and will remain so as long as you wish. Do no harm."

"She means to the forest and the people, you can smash our enemies as much as you like," I said with a grin.

Gisael appeared behind us. She was stealthy as a cat when she wanted to be. "I can see why you like her." She said while looking Reyas up and down.

I grinned at her and she bared her teeth at me.

Their eyes met for the first time and I swear sparks flew between them. Gisael was lithe and exotically beautiful. She was also completely naked with a smattering of foliage covering her groin. And the foliage was part of her body, so did it really count?

Her bespeckled green skin was both alien and gorgeous. I enjoyed watching Reyas take it all in.

"I can see why you like her," Reyas said with a demure smile.

I titled my head to the side and put a hand on my chin. "Are you two going to fight or kiss? I'm okay with either."

They laughed.

"Like I do such a thing for your enjoyment," Reyas said.

Gisael nodded her agreement. They turned on me.

"Oh shit." I was the common enemy.

Gisael pushed me and I noticed Mother had conveniently disappeared. "You act rashly and without permission."

I held up my hands. "Do I need permission? Really? Mother's okay with it."

Gisael bared her teeth and hissed at me. "You bring this poor girl here not knowing her reception. How could you do such a thing. What if it went badly?"

I stopped backpedalling and stood my ground. "Loyalty goes two ways."

She looked confused by my words.

"My loyalty to the forest is not a one-way street. I give and receive in turn."

Gisael glared at me. "You must give without expectation. Then it will be returned freely. You expect too much."

I took her face in my hands and held her gaze. "It'll work out. Trust me."

"I do not trust. I act for the forest and my duty."

It was then that Mother re-appeared.

"Gisael," she said softly and the guardian's attention on me retreated immediately. She turned and walked to mother.

Mother looked at me until I got the hint, so I took Reyas' hand and led her away. We reached the edge of the glade and I looked up.

The artisans had been hard at work building a walkway around the tree canopy connecting to the beginnings of a few buildings.

Reyas made a sound expressing her admiration.

"They're just getting started," I said and pointed. "I think they'll build a main hall there."

"So high up," she said.

"Do you want to sleep in the trees tonight or the ground?"

She was used to heights. She would hang by one hand off a precipice before dropping down to a ledge. "I'd rather sleep on the nice grass. Do you have a tent?"

I shook my head. "But we can build one. I'll ask the weaver for some help."

She put a hand on my arm. "I don't want to be a bother."

"No. It's fine. She will say if she's too busy. It doesn't hurt to ask." I scrambled up the tree in search of Arcaena, the weaver. But before I found her Elred beckoned me over to him.

"Hi," I said.

"We are glad you're back," he said. Other than mother he was the oldest Svartalfar. He was more brown than green, and his hair was white like mine.

"How can I help?"

He cast his gaze to the west towards the sea. "There is a bird and the trees worry over it. They are both concerned for its welfare and a little afraid of it."

"Sounds ominous."

He nodded. "It is a strange bird and we thought of you."

I laughed, I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be proud or offended.

He smiled. "Yes. The trees want you to decide."

"They talk about me?"

"They know you. You scramble about in them; you eat, sleep, and make love under them. And you killed the troll to protect them. They don't talk as you and I do, but they know you in their own way. The lively one, the one that's different."

"What do they want me to decide exactly?"

"Whether to keep it, or to kill it."

"Ouch, harsh," I said.

"It is the way of nature. The forest is both giving and ruthless Benzhi."

I nodded and thought of Gisael. "Yeah I get that."

"I'll go find it and decide. East you say. Can you be more specific?"

He smiled and covered my eyes with his hand. He chanted and my mind wandered, I was dreaming, I was seeing something in my dream. It wasn't like a movie; it was more like a feeling. He took his hand away and I shook my head.

"Whoa. Okay, I think I can find it."

He smiled and sat down with his back against the tree. I was going to ask him where to find Arcaena, but he closed his eyes.

I eventually found her and explained what I wanted. Before you could rub two sticks together her and the builder, Inchel, began to plan something for us.

"A few days you will have to sleep on the grass. But it will be worth the wait, I promise."

"Thanks. That's great. Take longer if you need to. I'll find a way to keep her warm."

They laughed and shooed me away.