I followed Ki'rai for a mont in silence, but I had too many questions to be asked.
- Hey. I need to know sothing. Can you transform into anything?
- No. I can only beco creatures of similar size to mine.
- Then what's your original shape? Do you even have one?
Goblin stopped, turned to , and in a blur beca a kid-sized lizard-like creature. Deeply green tiny scales covered its skin. The Head was rather oval, smooth, without any bones or horns sticking out. Ki'rai had no hair, but rather sothing like fleshy dreadlocks coming out of the top of the skull, tied at the back.
The creature had clothes. Black ones, similar to combat gear from our world.
- Happy?
- Yes. Now... Do you have so kind of gender, or not?
- I'm a female, although the only one of my kind.
- Only one?
- I was created by my masters.
- Created?
- Yes. I'm the result of a long experint. I'm the only hope of my masters. A being capable of avoiding the eyes of The Great One. Shapeshifter. I'm the eyes of my masters.
- Xuvi... How do they look?
- If you prove your worth, you will see with your own two eyes - and she turned back into a goblin.
I followed her for a mont in silence. I needed ti to think through what I just found out. If she wasn't lying, it was impossible for her to assu human form, and sabotage our device. I was tempted to ask her about it directly, but that would probably not end well, so, in the end, I kept it for myself.
- So your power doesn't co from the device? It's all so kind of mutation and cloning and stuff?
- No cloning, no mutation. DNA alteration. And no, the ability to transform partially cos from the device.
- How?
- You ask many questions, Peter.
- I'm a curious guy, and how the hell do you know my na?
- I already told you. I was observing your people.
- Ok, fine. Then another question. Why you only ca out now, and not before the invasion?
- My masters decided that contact was too risky. Now, when you got hurt by The Great One, just like my masters, you both have a lot in common. My masters believe that now you all have the sa enemy.
- What a bunch of bullshit. I saw you before. I saw you in that cave.
- That was a mistake.
- Mistake?
She stopped, and turned to , still in goblin form.
- My mistake.
- Your mistake? What does that an?
She ignored and started walking again.
- Hey, what does that an? - I repeated myself.
- I don't want to talk about it. Just walk.
I felt like I'm having an argunt with a teenager. I really wanted to squeeze the answer from her, but ultimately decided not to. I needed to take it slower. I needed to be patient.
I followed her in silence to the lower floor, and from that, I was the one leading. I cleared the cave all the way up to the boss, as she remained hidden in shadows. Then I send out my minions to collect crystals and only left one with the torch by my side.
- We will et again, here, tomorrow - said Ki'rai.
- By the entrance?
- Deeper. Just as today.
- Fine.
She then started walking.
- Wait! Let's talk so more.
She stopped, and stood frozen for a mont, then turned back to .
- Talk then.
- Your masters, how are they like?
- You will find out if you prove yourself.
I sighed.
- Diffrent question then. You said your power partially cos from the device, yes? How? Did you get a class?
- My masters have one of the saplings in their hideout. They indicted many experints on it for many years. I'm the effect of those experints.
- Wait, they have a device? Like the one in the city?
- No. Yours is stronger. The one in the hideout is weak, and kept hidden, so The Great One cant notice it. The seed was never planted.
- The seed?
- The seed. I already told you more than you should know - she turned around again.
- Wait, wait, wait! Let's talk a bit more, ok? Maybe you have so questions I can answer for a change?
She stood frozen for a mont, then again faced .
- Love. What does that an?
- Love? You don't know what love is?
- The word can't be translated to my master's tongue, and your people use it a lot. I want to know. And I also want to know what friendship ans. You use both a lot.
I had to digest her words for a solid mont before I answered.
- Do you have your favorite food? Sothing you like the most?
- Food I like the most? Food is food. It's fuel for the body.
- But do you have sothing that tastes the best. Sothing you like to eat.
- I always eat my nutritional paste.
I sighed, and put my backpack down, to search for sothing for her. I had so bread, dried fruits, and at. I took all of that out and presented it in front of her.
- Here. Try this, and tell which you would like to eat more of.
She hesitated for a solid mont, looking straight in the eyes like she wanted to find out if I was trying to deceive her, but then she grabbed the bread, pieces of dried peach, and the beef jerky.
She sniffed everything, then licked it one by one. All the ti staring straight in the eyes. Finally, she started eating. Nibbling the food, then putting bigger pieces in her mouth. I watched carefully. I'm not gonna lie, part of was excited about her reaction.
I took out more food, ash she was licking her lips after the last bite.
- So, which one you like the most?
She pointed at fruits, and I gave her more.
- So you like the dried peach the most, good. So friendship is when you like so people more than others. You like those who are good to you, who take care of you, and whom you trust. And love is when you like sobody most of all. It's your favorite person.
She looked at for a long ti. I kept silent, letting her digest the informations. She then turned away from .
- We need to go. We've been wasting ti here. Let's et again tomorrow... And talk so more.
I smiled. It was looking promising.
- Sure. Let's go.
As I said those words, she disappeared into the darkness. She left. I tried to look for her on my way back, but there was no trace, so I returned to the city with backpacks filled with crystals. I donated everything to Hatta and went to sleep. This ti though, in my old room in the barracks, as the crystals were enough to do necessary repairs.
There was a bit of work with cleaning up, but we actually had many hands to help.
Day ca to an end with 5 107 640 points remaining on my account, and two class points.
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