Chapter 8 - The Hiding Man.

There he sat a quiet and excited mouse, back between the two tall parcels, having aced his quest as the truck cruised past the gate, successfully sneaking, blinking to the unseen while Fiora checked the carrier, then blinking back in the nick of time, all this in a few span of not but a successful minute.

<Quest: Get past the guards!>

<Status: Completed>

<You have gained rewards!>

<+3 AGI>

<+2 DEX>

<+60 Mana points>

"Hmm..... Agi.. Dex... you're making this stuff up as you go aren't you?" calm and meant to poke, Phillipi was blasè now in Aeyai's ways.

<EXP is not included in the rewards!>

"Yes baby!! I'm sorry! Please speak your mind don't mind me talking."

<REWARDS INAUGURATING>

"That's a new one! Isn't it great!? I'm learning new stuff about you every seco---"

<NOW!>

"Arggg!" he grunted as golden light in a flash blanketed Phillipi before vanishing in the sun.

'This bitchy system and her ways!!'

The light was anotherf fresh surge of energy which startled and pinched Phillipi, feeling changes within himself now more clearer than the last, the added points really made their stand, boosting him physically, 'An unknown yet immensely felt force.' as he called it.

In his eyes of blue hue he saw the nigh transparent blue 'menu' showing his stats, which read.

<LEVEL : 1>

<Health - (22+0) 22>

<Mana - (22+0) 22>

<Stamina - (13+0) 13>

<Agility - (13+3) 16>

<Strength - (18+0) 18>

<Dexterity - (30+2) 32>

"Soo, they're added like that huh?! why's mana still 22? and what in the fuck was that light thing all about?" he asked the ever intriguing Aeyai about the pinching flash of golden light.

<REWARDS INAUGURATION>

Replied Aeyai, it was rather always curiously doubtful about her synthesized voice and the robotic manner in her speech, who not by tone or tune still managing to heavily looped in many emotional weights on her words, Phillipi could feel the sassing in her sentences.

'Inaugurating?... what's next reverberating?' letting his thought mumble on the ever changing style of Aeyai's speech and ways.

'Whatever man! but these perks are real and the stats too, Boy! am I not gonna be a menace?!!' a menacing grin until he realised the unique and opaque, faded mana from before that seemingly came from under the truck.

"Zombie Survival rule : Double tap!" he announced, as Aeyai getting the gist of his thought activated Gluttony a second time.

And as before little sparks of blue and whites from the many organisms afloat -filled the air. His focus solely on the mystery, his closed eyes fell the little box which could not even hide a cat, 'Maybe a kitten or a hamster' he thought as the mana still lingered.

<Aeyai can scan the intensity of mana. With my limited collective knowledge of this world's species, Aeyai could pinpoint the species in inspection>

'Damn! you're a cheat at poker.... wait limited?'

<Roger!>

Ignoring Phillipi once more.

<Scanning!>

<Mana Intensity is 200. Species capable to house 200 mana are trees, plants, mammals, big species of fishes and humans!>

'Okay so which is it?'

<Either of the five>

'Mm-Hmm.... that numbers it down to are you just fucking trolling me?'

<The way the mana fluctuate suggests target is a sentient intelligent being capable of masking its presence>

'Intelligent eh? It be cool to have an intelligent dog or cat as my partner.' a gleeful smile Phillipi curved.

<UNACCEPTABLE!>

A reply from Aeyai which caught Phillipi off guard,"What?"

<Target is human!>

'Huh?? for real?? but you just said--'

<Target is human - 100%>

'Okay! That was weird.' he wondered but as unpredictable and sassy was Aeyai, she came with a rather useful lists of skills, which Phillipi already came to trust, 'Aeyai! deactivate Gluttony.'

<Roger!>

Opening his eyes, his two heavenly skies roamed as Phillipi told a story as he cleared his throat, ironically no many bursts of dry coughs could clear his raspy voice, "Heh!" with first a scoff, "Johny hides well, from his sister, mother and even the bright light of the sun you would not believe it but back then I saw him did it.." he voiced, his glare menacingly locked onto the little box and he narrated, "One day we went fishing, on a boat! Me, Xiao and Johny. The weather was nice, the winds were gentle and kind but the sun, you see it was mean, angry at us for something I will never know. Then Xiao had an idea he said, 'We're all fast swimmers, let's ditch the boat and jump down we'll come back for it later.' Johny and I, we agreed. We jumped, we swam, Xiao was ahead, he was the fastest, waiting for us under a shady tree." his eyes were cold, without a blink and yammering on, the pair of blues were still locked onto the little box, it told the box the story and now more dreadful they aimed to stab through.

"Water splashed and splashed then I reached the tree but as I turned Johny was not anywhere near there, not on the boat, not under the angry sun. We know he didn't drown because you see that fool, put him in a bowl and cover it he'd still curse at you three days later. So me and Xiao we called his name, from noon to night we screamed, 'Show yourself.... show yourself... show yourself.... show yourself...'."

"O..Okayy!? stop!!" blurted a panicking voice, timid and weak, startling Phillipi even though he sat there ready for the earth to fart thunder.

From no light of colours or smokes but simply from thin air, there in front of Phillipi cramped as it was stood a young teen lanky and hunched with long loose black sickly vines covering most his face, his eyes were grey and clear, sad sunken and weak like they were drenched in bleach.

"Damn! are you sick?" asked Phillipi, not at all in awe of the person's ability but a question solely inspired by his sickly image.

"N-no?! Umm! are you really a-- you know... a kid?" scratching his thick black hair.

"Why you ask? My tall tale?" smirked Phillipi.

"Yeah! you sounded, uhh! not young."

"That kinda gave it off huh?" looking at the taller stranger, his height reminded him of his lanky taller past, "You wanna stand or are you showing off your height." grumbled Phillipi with a dumb stare.

"N-no, can I sit too?" asked the stranger with eyes that hides behind his hanging hair and a voice which shakes in fright -likely out of habit or the fear of being discovered by the escorts who rides on their sides.

"Sure! If you tell me your name?" another upright question Phillipi asked as he made room in the cramped space between the parcels.

Phillipi was rather at ease with the stranger, with a glance he could tell he had once seen through those eyes, eyes that weakly hold up weights and weights of pain.

"I-I'm Raul!" his every words were shy, timid and insecure.

"I'm Phillipi!!" he beamed at the sickly looking Raul widely from ear to ear.

A smile that holds no motive but one that is utterly honest, weird as the situation was Raul could see the purity of the smile from the little kid who minutes before reeked of dangerous air.

"S-so why are you... you know... umm! sneaking aboard?" prodded Raul polite even to someone visibly younger, his eyes dared not meet Phillipi but rather at the little box next to their feet.

"I'm on a quest!" answered Phillipi, eyes on the skies claiming their confidence, "You better not tell on me." quickly turning towards Raul who was in turn flabbergasted and spooked.

"Noo... I promise!"

"Good! Andd what's your deal?"

"...." his head down, Raul was hesitant.

"C'mon bro I told you mine so it's your turn." Phillipi was rather pushy.

".... A-A better life, a new.. a new life." he breathed to answer.

At first glance Phillipi already knew this stranger was emotionally damaged and now he knew Raul was just as deeply scarred as him. With that he felt a breath of ease with his traveling companion, he smiled in the face of a familiar soul. Gazing up at the many clouds, "Aren't we all searching for a reset button!?"

Their journey was without stoppages yet Wilhilm was still far off.

The truck where they boarded was transporting 'Montella' the finest wine in the world, escorting the truck of value were a party of power-borns, five in numbers and were led by the Lioness Fiora who directed the way for the truck, in cruiser bikes of mean black and streaks of res decor: roaring their fierce engines on both sides while the Lioness paved the known grey road.

They were always gossips of bandits and thugs who roamed the Out-lands. Even the chaotic world still has its fair share of scums. Policemen were tasked for escorting these transports but that was then from before Hellspawns breached the walls of Ensfield.

While the two likely souls conversed, one uppity and the other -timorous like a mole out of its hole.

Phillipi would tease and laugh although admiring his wierd perk which allowed Raul to hide behind any matter that his eyes could see in a set range. A fitting perk for a timid.

Raul felt in their short meeting -comfort and easiness which he believed was in only at Utopia. His mind ran a course thinking, 'Maybe they're more people like him.' judging Phillipi as the latter simply trusted Raul and his peaky prestige.

Their likelihood was a foundation to which the two founded a similar ground to get acquainted with one another, their conversation was vague, sometimes awkward from the shy - timid Raul. Little they exchange but to Raul it was the longest he had the past many days and the smoothest he had felt in talking, to Phillipi it was normal, a reminder to why he had his quest in progress.

Given now their journey to a new start had gotten along, the truck was as though sailing the vast land of sea, free and without obstacles.

Luck could not drive itself for longer as the Lioness in front halted her roaring, smoking twin-engine, raising an arm up -a command to stop that all who followed her followed.

Her fierce eyes stared ahead to a huge tree which laid fallen far yonder in the grey road.

"Just my luck is it bandits?" worried was the driver.

On back, Phillipi peaked as he shred Raul a grin that could torment the littlest of childs.

Much to his sweating worry -he, them, the driver and all -they knew -A fight is coming.