Chapter 187 - Day DXXI, Part II

I followed Ki'rai for a moment in silence, but I had too many questions to be asked.

- Hey. I need to know something. Can you transform into anything?

- No. I can only become creatures of similar size to mine.

- Then what's your original shape? Do you even have one?

Goblin stopped, turned to me, and in a blur became 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 something 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 some 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 experiment. 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 moment in silence. I needed time to think through what I just found out. If she wasn't lying, it was impossible for her to assume 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 come from the device? It's all some kind of mutation and cloning and stuff?

- No cloning, no mutation. DNA alteration. And no, the ability to transform partially comes from the device.

- How?

- You ask many questions, Peter.

- I'm a curious guy, and how the hell do you know my name?

- I already told you. I was observing your people.

- Ok, fine. Then another question. Why you only came 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 same 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 me, still in goblin form.

- My mistake.

- Your mistake? What does that mean?

She ignored me and started walking again.

- Hey, what does that mean? - I repeated myself.

- I don't want to talk about it. Just walk.

I felt like I'm having an argument 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 meet again, here, tomorrow - said Ki'rai.

- By the entrance?

- Deeper. Just as today.

- Fine.

She then started walking.

- Wait! Let's talk some more.

She stopped, and stood frozen for a moment, then turned back to me.

- 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 comes from the device, yes? How? Did you get a class?

- My masters have one of the saplings in their hideout. They indicted many experiments on it for many years. I'm the effect of those experiments.

- 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 some questions I can answer for a change?

She stood frozen for a moment, then again faced me.

- Love. What does that mean?

- 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 means. You use both a lot.

I had to digest her words for a solid moment before I answered.

- Do you have your favorite food? Something you like the most?

- Food I like the most? Food is food. It's fuel for the body.

- But do you have something that tastes the best. Something you like to eat.

- I always eat my nutritional paste.

I sighed, and put my backpack down, to search for something for her. I had some bread, dried fruits, and meat. I took all of that out and presented it in front of her.

- Here. Try this, and tell me which you would like to eat more of.

She hesitated for a solid moment, looking me 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 time staring me 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 me 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 some 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 somebody most of all. It's your favorite person.

She looked at me for a long time. I kept silent, letting her digest the informations. She then turned away from me.

- We need to go. We've been wasting time here. Let's meet again tomorrow... And talk some 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 time 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 came to an end with 5 107 640 points remaining on my account, and two class points.