* Fairlane – Wildfire (feat. Nevve) *

AN: Wonderful and calm…

***

‘Kayla, you there?’ Raven called out in her mind.

[Affirmative.]

Smiling softly, Raven thought of two words to Kayla.

‘Status Page.’

[Loading Status Page…]

Not a second after, a picture flashed inside Raven’s mind.

[Race: Soul Weaver.

[Class: Royal

[Blessings: Infinity’s Will. Avavia’s Affection.

[Titles: Soul Weaver Princess. Heavenly Collector.

[Rank: C

[Magic Skills:

Mana Manipulation – Level 1

[Inherent Skills:

Contingency Call – Level ???

Quick Study – Level ???

[Special Skills:

Ruler’s Touch – Level 1

Shadow Manipulation – Level 2

Scanner Rings – Level 1

Deadly Vision – Level 1

Contractor – Level 1

Soul Illusion – Level 1

Stealth (Passive+) – Level 2

Soul Weaving – Level 1

[System Unique Skills:

Absorption – Level 1

Integration – Level 1

Appraisal (Passive) – Level 1

Thought Acceleration (Passive) – Level 1

Parallel Processing (Passive) – Level 1

[Ultimate Skills:

Ex Machina: Nanotech Creation (Spacial Transfer Bracelet series, Wingman series guns, Guardian Drone series, Scout Drone series.)]

‘Err, I gained quite a few skills from the stone, eh? Even Kayla got an upgrade. And it even granted me a title and a blessing, that’s cool.’ Raven thought, scanning the status page, ‘so, was that woman called Avavia?’

‘Kayla, explain the new skills for me, please.’

[At once] Kayla replied as Raven furrowed her eyebrows in surprise.

At that, Kayla started projecting other images in her mind.

[Soul Illusion – Level 1: Cast illusion that disguises or alters the physical body. As skill evolves, temporary soul alteration can be accessible. Effectiveness of skill depends on both the mana consumed and the resistance of the targets.

[Stealth (Passive+) – Level 2: Always able to walk quietly without making a sound or leaving a trace (passive). You can spend Mana activate a second effect: Blend in with the surroundings making it harder to be seen. Effectiveness of skill depends on both the mana consumed and the detection abilities of the targets.

[Soul Weaving – Level 1: Able to feel, extract, weave, and absorb the soul of a target. This is a means of feeding and surviving in the world of Soul Weavers, it enables them to grow and get more powerful. Effectiveness of skill depends on both the mana consumed and the resistance of the targets.

[Integration – Level 1: Able to integrate or separate various skills. The effect works on internal skills, as well as other skills that are stored inside items. Effectiveness of skill depends on both the mana consumed relative to the levels of affected skills. Skill is governed by the system.

[Absorption – Level 1: Able to absorb external mana, such as the world energy, and skills that have been integrated and matched with your mana signature. Effectiveness of skill depends on both the mana consumed relative to the levels of affected skills. Skill is governed by the system.

[Appraisal (Passive) – Level 1: Able to evaluate items or creatures in sight. Effectiveness of skill depends on the difference in rank and total prowess between you and the affected party. Skill is governed by the system.

[Thought Acceleration (Passive) – Level 1: Thoughts, reactions, and conversations with the system are accelerated. Able to see and observe events in slow motion. Current ratio is 1 second of thoughts: 10 seconds of real time. Skill is governed by the system.

[Parallel Processing (Passive) – Level 1: Able to have two different thoughts going on at once, in addition to the independent computations of the system. Skill is governed by the system.

[Is there anything else I can help you with, Master?]

‘Eh?’ Raven was flabbergasted. ‘Kayla, why are you acting more… human? Is it the upgrade?’

[Affirmative, Kayla has received and upgrade to her language overall system.]

‘That’s cool! And please, we talked about this, you can call me Raven, right?’ Raven thought in excitement.

[Yes, Raven.] Kayla replied, her voice still had a hint of inhuman coldness in it but way better than before.

‘Hmm, so skills are looking good. I didn’t expect to get so many. Shadow Manipulation and Stealth are level 2 because I’ve killed many as an assassin using my shadow armour and swords, I’m assuming? And I’ve always been quiet and stealthy about it.’ Raven thought as she saw that the two skills were the only skills higher than level 1, ‘well, except for the two inherent skills: Contingency Call, and Quick Study.’

‘What’s level??? Like are they too strong or just have none? Maybe it’s that you don’t know Kayla?’

[Affirmative, the system has no way of figuring out the skills’ levels or anything related to them.]

‘Uhm,’ she noddes in her mind, ‘from the name alone I’d say the first is like an emergency skill that should help me survive extreme cases… maybe? Also, the other one is a skill that makes me… smarter? Pfft I don’t know *sigh*’

‘Yo Kayla, why are they inherent skills whereas my soul weaving skill was acquired? Let alone acquired so late that even if I needed it to survive I’d be dead by now.’

[Kayla has no access to information that would be considered an answer. Apologies.]

‘Hahaha’ she laughed in her mind and smirk formed on her face, making the girls happy to see her better than just a moment ago. ‘I like you, Kayla, you’re so cute! But hey don’t worry about it, no one has the answer for everything!’

[True. Much appreciated.]

‘Hm anyway, so let me go over everything once again.

‘I didn’t expect to have a class now, but that only makes it more diverse I guess. I’m assuming it’s royal because I’m the princess? *sigh*’ she sighed remembering that she still has to have ‘the talk’ with Joey.

‘Titles are useless… wait, Kayla are they actually?’

[At the moment, titles give no special effects.]

‘I see, moving on. I see I ranked up, from C- to C, not half bad I guess. I’m climbing up the ranks quite fast, if I do say so myself.

‘Hm… one of the new skills I gained has the disguise effect, Soul Illusion huh? Kayla can I get my body back now? And what are me energy levels at?’

[Not at the moment as skill is still in its early stages, and mana quantity isn’t enough for such a process. Energy reserves resting at 47% since the runestone had released, unexpectedly, a lot of energy that was redirected into your core.]

‘Uhm,’ she nodded remembering that strange, yet familiar woman in the stone. ‘Her name was Avavia, I think. She’s so pretty…’ she blushed at the thought.

‘Ahem, on to the next skill. I’ll try Stealth when I get up I guess.’ she was quite comfy between the two girls, as they hugged eachother warmly.

‘Soul Weaving… Hm, I thought something felt off now, when I focus on some I can feel a faint glow at their center. Is that their soul?’ Raven wondered to herself as she observed the flaming blue orb visible through Rains chest.

“Um, is there something on my chest?” Rain asked as she turned bright red. She covered her chest in embarrassment.

“Eh? no, no I’m sorry I was just deep in thoughts, hehe…” Raven took the same hue as well as she laughed lightly in embarrassment.

“Uhm,” Rain nodded, “don’t worry about it.”

*sigh* ‘I’ll test that later I guess. Ok, so next we have Integration and Absorption, we’ve already tried that with the stone I’m guessing, Kayla?’

[Yes, the skills were performed then learnt as a result.]

‘Hou~ I can do that?’

[Depending on the skill type and your level, yes.]

‘Sweet!’ she was overjoyed as that would open the doors to countless possible skills.

‘Let’s try-‘ she wanted to say let’s try appraisal now but something suddenly made her feel a knot forming in her stomach.

‘Kayla, analysis please! This feeling… it’s like the feeling you’d get when you’re happily shopping at the mall, but then all of a sudden you realise that your parents are no where to be seen…’

[No abnormalities detected.]

‘Impossible! I know for a fact something isn’t right!’

Looking around she remembered Camilla. ‘Camilla isn’t here, could it be…’ She widened her eyes in surprise as a sudden surge of mana in the air.

The others noticed it as well as they looked towards the cave exit at the same time, with worried, yet serious gazes.

“It’s far to the north,” Joey said to the group, “whatever it is it’s dangerous.”

Raven didn’t need another word to jump up from the ground gently, as she didn’t want it hurt the girls hugging her.

“I’ll be back in a sec-”

“We’re coming with-”

“No!” Raven cut Maya off with a dead serious stare, and eyes filled with worry.

Realising that she’s just yelled at poor Maya she instantly hugged her, “I’m so sorry, I can’t bear the thought of dragging you into a dangerous fight, I’m used to it since I’m an-”

“I’m sorry but we’re already deep into this sh*t!” Maya retorted. “Do you know what I’ve been feeling since you fell unconscious the first time? How f*cking useless I am! There’s no way I’m leaving you alone again!”

As if to prove her point, Maya clung into Raven tightly.

“She’s right you know,” Maria said to her.