Zeldritzon [Cycle 9] - Morning
Current Location:
[Crystal Shelter; Glades of the UvoSath Forest of the UvoSath Realm]
KiAera awoke refreshed from a peaceful slumber. She stretched contentedly, her rabbit ears flopping lazily as she yawned wide upon her makeshift bed. It wasn't luxurious, but it was hers, and in this strange new world, that meant something.
Her morning routine began as always: first, she smoothed the sheets and fluffed the pillows with deliberate care. Then she slipped out of her nightgown and bonnet, trading them for attire more suitable for the outdoors.
Warming up her body came next. She bent, stretched, and flowed through her exercises with practiced focus. Her limbs loosened, her muscles awakened, and she felt the familiar spark of energy flicker through her body. This daily ritual had begun to yield results. They were tangible improvements in her technique.
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★ [MereKick] - Beast - TECH: 21 > TECH: 25
★ [Ear Slash] - Beast - TECH: 23 > TECH: 28
★ [Ear Punch] - Beast - TECH: 25 > TECH: 30
★ [Flare Flick] - Fire - TECH: 10 > TECH: 15
★ [Claw Swipe] - Beast - TECH: 19 > TECH: 22
★ [MereHeadbutt] - Beast - TECH: 8 > TECH: 13
★ [MereSwiftness] - Beast - TECH: 16% > TECH: 21%
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Spear Skills:
★ [Stab] - TECH: 2 > TECH: 5
★ [Slash] - TECH: 1 > TECH: 6
★ [Pierce] - TECH: 2 > TECH: 5
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New Skill Achieved: [Ignite]!
New Skill Achieved: [Fire Slash]!
New Skill Achieved: [Fire Twister]!
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Once her training ended, she settled down to study the Zeldritzon language with GamaGen. She flipped carefully through the worn pages while he guided her through its intricacies: the twisted tones, the oddly elegant grammar.
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[Zeldritzonian Language Proficiency]
TIER: Basic (25%) -> Basic (40%)
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
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Afterwards came her grooming. She brushed her teeth, washed up, and combed her silver fur until it gleamed in the morning light. Every stroke of the brush felt both grounding and strange.
When she finally gazed into her crystal mirror, her ears drooped. That reflection—adorable though it was—was not her human self. She missed her dark hair, her bare skin, her hands and arms unmarred by fur. For a long breath, she lingered on that ache.
…But dwelling changed nothing. There were more pressing matters to attend to: foraging for crystals, upgrading the Crystal Shelter, and making more space in her home.
With her room tidied, she sighed and left to wake her companions.
Her crewmates were still fast asleep. KiAera knew them well—none were early risers. But one always stood apart: the Plelepun. He was the easiest to wake, ever eager for chatter. As expected, when he noticed her, he beamed.
"You're heading out for a crystal forage run, yo?" he asked.
He was right. Crystals were a necessity. Her ears perked with renewed determination as she glanced at her mental to-do list.
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★ [Task 1]: Forage Edible Crystals: [Light-Blue] & [Blue] Zeldritzonian Crystals
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"Osseods, Amber! Wake up! Time to start our sixth cycle!"
Her voice rang loud enough to stir Big Osseod, who rubbed its sleepy eyes with sluggish paws.
"Osseod wake uuuuup..." it groaned.
KiAera chuckled, patting its head affectionately. "Morning, bud. Time to move out for foraging!"
Her gaze shifted to Amber, curled tightly around the Liorex egg. Protective. Refusing to budge.
"You'll have to get up as well."
Amber burrowed deeper, muffling her voice. "Leelee sleepy…"
KiAera giggled quietly. Amber looked far too cute snuggling like that. She poked her forehead playfully. "Come on, Amber. Busy day ahead!"
Amber only grumbled. "Leelee no want to wake up…"
Exasperated, KiAera turned to the Plelepun. "Yo, Plelepun. Could you wake Amber for me?"
He grinned crookedly. "Yo! Sure thing, KiAera!" He inhaled, trunk swelling for a mighty trumpet call.
"Wait, wait, wait!" KiAera flailed her paws. "No trumpeting! Just poke her or shake her awake."
The Plelepun slumped. "Fine… but only if you admit I'm super smart and awesome!"
KiAera rolled her eyes, lips twitching. That ego… Still, she indulged him: "Alright, you're super smart and awesome. Now wake Amber, please?"
Instantly, he lit up. "Yo! Of course, KiAera!" He waddled to Amber and shook her gently. "Yo! Wake up, Amber! KiAera said so!"
Amber groaned, wings stretching. "Leelee awake now…"
"Great job, Plelepun!" KiAera clapped, patting his head with a fond paw.
He basked in her praise. "Yo! Anything for you, KiAera! My pleasure!" Then he leaned in with hopeful eyes. "Sooo… what's my reward?"
KiAera blinked. A reward? For that? She scratched her chin, thinking. "Um… well… how about more Light-Blue Crystal hunting today?"
His trunk sagged. Shoulders drooped. "Yo…? More crystal hunting? That's just busywork…" He dragged his trunk along the floor dramatically.
She winced inwardly. So he didn't like crystal hunting, despite craving crystals themselves. She scrambled for an alternative.
「'Allow the youngling to renovate the Crystal Shelter. In addition, have the child construct traps around its glades,'」 GamaGen's voice suggested, pulling her from her thoughts.
Brilliant. Traps. Construction. Plelepuns loved building things.
Her smile brightened. "Hey, Plelepun! Instead of crystal hunting, how about helping me renovate the Crystal Shelter?"
The transformation was instant. His eyes sparkled. "Yo! Renovating?! I love decorating! Count me in, KiAera!" His trunk pumped with glee. "This gonna be so fun!"
She laughed warmly, though the mention of tunnels nudged at an old memory.
Her first day in Zeldritzon. The monstrous ArchLiorex. The desperate retreat into a tunnel with only GamaGen, Big Osseod, and the little Osseods at her side. If not for that tunnel, they'd have perished on the UvoSath plains.
And who dug tunnels? Plelepuns.
She eyed her companion curiously. Could it have been him?
"Plelepun," she asked slowly, "there was a tunnel from the UvoSath Plains to the UvoSath Forest. Did you… dig that one?"
He tilted his head, thinking. Then gasped.
"Yo! Oh yeah! I remember that tunnel! I dug it myself!" Pride radiated from his grin. "Yo! Pretty amazing, right?!"
KiAera's smile softened. He had no idea what that tunnel had meant. How it had saved them. She rested a paw on his head, her voice tender.
"Thank you for saving us from the ArchLiorex, Plelepun. Your tunnels were our lifeline."
The Plelepun froze, jaw slack. His cheeks flushed crimson. "Y-yo… r-really, K-KiAera?!"
Then confusion overtook his embarrassment. "But, uh… what in Zeldron's name is an ArchLiorex?"
KiAera gulped as she recalled that awful monster that attempted to claim her and the Liorex egg's life. She gave considerable thought about how to explain that harrowing event.
