I still had questions about my enhancement options, but hearing the elf speak in a language that I could understand…

I wished away the blue squares and they disappeared.

Other things took priority, for now.

She just said I was an odd little spider, and I intended to make it known that I wasn’t, in fact, a spider.

Not at heart at least.

I moved my pedipalps from left to right, as if to say ‘no I am not’.

She narrowed her eyes in response.

“Very odd, indeed,” She mused.

I had to agree with that. She didn’t seem to get what I was trying to convey.

I moved my limbs up and down to nod.

She giggled.

No. I don’t need you giggling. I need you to understand!

I sighed mentally and thought of a way to make her understand. My mind wandered off when suddenly the caged tarantula gave me an idea.

I skittered up to the enclosure and saw the elf’s eyes follow me closely. I reached the glass with the tarantula behind it, still hiding under the log. When I approached, it seemed to notice my presence and raised its front two legs and pedipalps, as if it was put on the defensive.

Oops.

I took a few steps back and turned to face my captor again.

I then pointed to the tarantula with my pedipalps. After that, I pointed to myself. Finally, I made the ‘no’ gesture with my limbs.

She scratched her head.

Sigh.

I skittered up to her and pointed at her face, then to me. Then, I made the ‘yes’ gesture.

She didn’t seem to get it.

Let’s try that again…

I skittered to the tarantula again, keeping my distance this time. I pointed to the creature, then to me, and made the no gesture once more.

“Not a spider…?” I saw her mind starting to put the puzzle pieces together.

I immediately turned to her and made my vertical movements as soon as she had said that, to agree with her, right after she made the statement. Hopefully, that would give her the idea it was in response to what she just said.

“You’re not a spider?” She said with more confidence this time.

I moved my limbs up and down again to agree with her.

“Wait, you can understand me?”

FINALLY!

I eagerly moved my pedipalps up and down while heaving a massive sigh of relief in my mind.

“But how? Why? Wait...” Her face seemed to contort into one of shock. “Did you understand everything I’ve said so far?”

Did she say anything I should not have heard?

I moved my limbs so that they conveyed ‘no’.

I really wished I could speak, myself, but it seemed I didn’t have the necessary organs for it. It would have made things so much easier…

“Still, how?” She asked again.

How to explain…

I pointed one of my pedipalps straight up, to the ceiling.

“What?”

This was much harder than I thought. I could understand her, yes, but how did I tell her some gods decided to screw with me?

I decided to drop it. If she didn’t get it from me pointing to the heavens I would have no way to explain it.

Not easily at least.

I moved my pedipalps outward and inward from each other repeatedly, trying to convey ‘whatever’. I hope she got it.

“But… if you’re no spider, then what are you?”

I pointed at the elf, then at myself. More specifically, I pointed to her ears. After pointing to her ears with each of my pedipalps, I pointed to my head.

She seemed to think about what my gestures meant.

“My ears… are you an elf?”

I have no idea why, but the weight that was lifted off my shoulders at her realization was immense.

I quickly made the ‘yes’ gesture.

“I still don’t get how… or why… but it seems you’re intelligent. Do you have a name?”

I made the ‘yes’ gesture once more.

How would I tell her my name?

Wait a second…

Now that I have the language comprehension skill… could I read her books?

I turned around and pointed at the bookcase.

“What do you want to...”

I pointed again. As long as she took any book, I’d be fine.

She still seemed puzzled but stood up and grabbed the book I was pointing at. She then laid it on the table.

Without hesitation, I opened it to a random page. I then skittered over to her hand and onto the paper in order to read.

And I could.

I couldn’t believe it! I could actually read this text now.

I could communicate! It would be slow, but I could tell her what I wanted… who I was.

My name…

I searched for a word with a capital K and forced her attention on it. I censored the rest of the word with one of my pedipalps while I used the other to point at the K.

“K...” She started.

I then searched for a word starting with an E and did the same. I repeated this over and over until she spelled my name.

“K-e-a-l-y-n-a,” She spelled aloud. “Kealyna. That is your name?”

I moved my front two limbs up and down to confirm.

Achievement Earned: A Name

Have somebody else say your name.

You have been awarded 10 EP.

Hidden requirements for future evolution complete.

I stared at the blue square for a while.

That was a lot of points for something that was not dangerous at all.

It had been quite hard though…

“I see...” She spoke softly. “And is there an easy way for you to explain how you became a spider?”

I guess this was actually an easy task. I moved over to a word with a capital G and worked my way from there until I’d spelled ‘gods’.

“The gods did this to you?” She looked shocked.

I gestured yes.

“But why?”

I made the shrugging gesture. I hoped she understood that one by now. I did not know their reasons. Did they have nothing better to do?

“And what’s up with the beetles? If you don’t eat them, why?”

I tapped the book again and spelled out why I killed them as best I could, with one word: power.

“You get power from killing them?”

Indirectly, yes. I confirmed what she said with my gestures.

“That’s… odd. I see you’ve changed color and size. I’m assuming that’s related?”

I gestured yes again.

“Strange. I’ve never heard of or seen anything like this before.”

Well, it’s a blessing from Elysa. I guessed not everyone would get something like this.

“Would you like the other beetles? I can always get some more. They are pretty common around here.”

I’d love that. I eagerly made my yes gesture.

She smiled and grabbed the glass jar from below my old enclosure. I doubted she’d ever put me back in that. Not after hearing… well, reading I guess, all this.

“Oh, I totally forgot to tell you my name,” She said as she stood up again. “It’s Cellestra.”

Cellestra. That sounded a lot better than ‘the elf’.

She pulled one of the last three beetles out and placed it on the table on the other end of where I was still standing on the book.

“Go on then, Kealyna. Show me your jumping skills,” She said with a giggle.

I smiled in my mind, but I doubted it would be visible. I had no idea how my smile would look anyway if I could. It felt… refreshing… good, to have someone to talk to…

I never knew it could feel this way…

I forced my focus back to the present. I observed the beetle try to skitter away, and I jumped.

I reached the insect a fraction of a second later and removed its head from its body with my legs.

You have killed a Forest Stag Beetle: No experience was earned.

What?

“It never fails to impress me how quick jumping spiders are,” Cellestra said. “You’re doing a good job being one, Kealyna.”

Was that an insult… or a compliment…?

Her smile seemed to be one of honesty.

What was with the experience though? Elysa?

Your experience rate is lowered for creatures that are considered too easy for you to kill.

Damn. That sucked.

I knew for certain my evolution probably had something to do with it, but I imagined getting spoon-fed experience wouldn’t work… anymore?

It worked before, though.

No easy evolutions for me, I guess…

In that case…

I was going to need to go out hunting again…

I had come to enjoy the elf’s company. It had done a great deal of work on my spirit. Not being able to talk to anyone had started to gnaw at me.

I was going to ask her to put me outside… after some things I’d have to take care of.

I could always return here when I wanted, right?

Would she mind?