Chapter 55: It Depends

Chapter 55: It Depends

Yes, and I really appreciate you taking the time to help me with this.

In response, she gives a wry smile.

I wish I could spend more time with you, especially since youve already done so much for me. Though, there are so many things happening right now, that I need to handle Groups looking to invade the caves, testing our defenses covertly, and even having to manage our own allies.

For the last part of her sentence, she uses air quotes. Another thing our cultures share.

Her eyes close, and she heaves an enormous sigh.

Thats not even including coordinating the spiders Unfortunately, Ai and Lin dont have the connections or knowledge to navigate those political spheres, yet. My every moment is filled with managing that aspect.

However, I really value you and what youve done for me. For all of us. Ill see if there is anything I can do on that front, to change it as we go forward, though.

I can see a slight blush and a less wry smile cross her face, It will be nice to just relax, once things calm down. It really is nice to be around someone who I can just relax with.

I cant help but smile at her at this.

She hesitates before continuing. Honestly, I was a worried at first that all of this was a plan to control me. That healing me and taking away the curse, was all part of a way to use me. Even if I was the one to approach you, I didnt know enough about you, to know if you could use that taming ability on me

I can barely hear a soft laugh come from her, What Im pretty sure of now, is that even if you could use that ability, you would practically fall over yourself to protect us from it. Youre a bit of a strange one for thinking that way.

But Im truly happy that it was you that Lin had brought back. With or without the abilities.

Thats. quite nice to hear, honestly. She didnt have to say that, but that makes me feel like I am more than my abilities to her. I think she mainly views me as someone she can relax around more than anything.

A comfortable silence floats between us before she coughs.

Well, lets start tomorrow with your training. Until then, if you can help with the farm and fix the seeds, that would help a ton.

Its giant worm dung. I say out loud.

Of course. How could it be anything, but poop? At least, it seems that this area hasnt been visited by a creature that large in a long time.

Interestingly enough, I was able to figure out that this was the product of a bunch of dog-sized, baby giant worms, as they slowly moved their way through the ground. It looks like the other parts of their exit from this area have long been crumbled and then self-reinforced by rock formations.

Moving my mind away from the worm poop, I focus on the spiders, still tilling the soil and placing seeds. Walking my way through the rows, I use my scan and healing to begin removing the replanting restrictions from the seeds. Surprisingly, these seeds adapt quickly from my healing abilities special quirk, that allows improvement on the healing. While they wont need sun, per say, they will need even more resources to survive.

So, in the interim, they will need plenty of healing to stay alive. At least until a certain point, when we can regularly get them what they need to live. After that, for replanting and etc., they should be good!

Im actually surprised by how excited I am that this worked. It looks like the seeds we used for this area were mostly meant for shady areas and it wouldnt be a stretch to assume that there could be a variant. Seeing the success of the healing, is an amazing sign that things could go well for the other farming layer.

That one will definitely have items that are NOT meant to be grown without sun. Im not worried, though. If these were able to change over, I believe with time, the others can be converted as well.

what is a bit frightening to think about, is how this could be applied to a person. If a person was constantly drowned, but healed of it would they gain the ability to breath underwater? Or not breath at all?

What frightens me, as I query it, is the answer.

It depends.

I immediately turn my mind away from that train of thought. It scares me to have the potential for that much power. What is comforting is that it feels like the general answer is no, though.

Almost unbidden, I can feel the hints of answer.

The gifts that were given to me by the omniscient being have some soft restrictions to them. Specific things were removed from the abilities to make sure they dont cause issues. Or abuses. Even as I grow into the abilities, there will be things that I just cant do. And I should just accept that.

I try to probe deeper, but even the vestiges of an intense scan dont pull anymore answers regarding this.

Im definitely not going to push it any farther. Thats for damn sure. Im not the type of guy who looks a gift horse in the mouth. I get the feeling that going further than this will cause more issues than anything else.

Going with the flow, I move on from this and begin thinking about next steps.

Ill need to go down to the next level after finishing this area up. Ill see if those seeds can change, make sure the whole batch is set, and then head aboveground to take care of that section.