“First of all, I would like not to be placed in that room, that’s actually an elevator shaft. Suddenly waking up to fight wolves, not gonna happen.” he said, as he waved his hand at her with a miffed facial expression.

“Okay, but that was the only other living quarters. Besides, considering that you find me revolting, I do not think you would want to sleep in my living quarters. That would be the only other option.” she said, grasping her knee caps as if to wane her annoyance.

“Well, I would take the floor or something. I don’t really mind, as long as it’s not something that leads me to the slaughter. I would like to have freedom to move around and not be bound to this place. I am not a big fan of being confined.” he said, waving even more emphatically.

“I still do not trust you enough to give you such freedom. If you wish to travel then you will have to do it with me.” she said, wincing at him with doubtful eyes.

“I am not some child you have to monitor, besides, you can just use the trusty custom goal to keep an eye on me. I am pretty sure that’s how you got to me at the control room.” he said, tilting his head up a bit as he began to feel the pain on his neck dissipate.

“You should be well aware that because of your ability’s buff, no one can track you using the custom goal. Unless, you weren’t even aware?” she said, glancing at him and then the ceiling as she wondered if he was feigning ignorance.

“I can’t be tracked?” he said, giving her a stupid look of confusion.

“Yes, Barrier to Entry is a shielding ability that conceals its user. As the user, that should be obvious to you. If you didn’t know that then it’s better if we also include ability manipulation into your training regimen.” she said, in a disparaging manner, “I have my means of finding you, but the goal of our cordial discussion is not to put me in situation that will aggravate me. So, let’s meet halfway as you have sanctioned. For your training and any movement, you will stay with me, you may share my living quarters, but there will be rules that you will have to follow. Furthermore, you’re not to attempt to escape. If you desperately need to travel, I will have to be your escort.”

“Alright almighty chaperone. I will oblige you, but thank you for that information. As for my other request, considering you’re at such a high level, I would like it if you personally tutored me and told me everything I need to know about getting stronger or higher, without any bullshit or roundabout means. I mean, if I have to do something extreme and there clear reasons why, then I will do it. We may be from different races and ideologies, but I would rather be cajoled by justified reasons like ‘hey, you need to fight against this because it builds e.t.c’. Just saying, that needs to change. Just a thought, I noticed that this place is quite quiet. Do Quendalions not listen to music?” he said, moving his head, up and about, to express his predilection.

“Music, we have such a thing, but I don’t listen to music that much. The arts were never something I took interest in. As for my expectations…” she said, before being cut off by him.

“Wait, wait, I am not finished yet, do Quendalions drink alcohol?” he asked, giving her a glaring look.

“Yes, but I am incapable of being intoxicated. Are these hedonistic concerns part of what you want to discuss in our arrangement?” she asked, bewildered by his questions.

“I think part of the reason why you’re so tense, granted you have some really, I mean really tragic family drama, is that you overwhelm yourself with begrudging thoughts of vengeance. Maybe it’s what women from your planet do, but we need to work hard and play hard.” he said, drawing her in with hand gestures.

“You mean to say ‘work hard and indulge in foolishness’.” she said, staring at him with dazed eyes.

“Yes, music, alcohol and maybe a few hallucinogens are a necessary vice to calm down a goddess as yourself. I think that could be a reward that I could fancy.”

“So you wish to be inebriated and bamboozled by intoxicants? Your mind works in mysterious ways, warrior in the making Tichaona, considering that we have to amass strength and skill good enough to face my brother. This pleasure you seek, is not conducive for discipline.” she said, wincing at him.

“Well fuck discipline. It’s an overrated concept. Lastly, let’s be equals. Don’t cogently expect me to do things. I also want to get strong or to do things for you as a matter of principle, but we have to cohabit as equals, even if I was forced against my will to be here. So that’s it, those are my conditions. Short and sweet, savours the flavour and makes the mind linger.” he said, making an effort to rhyme towards the end of his remark.

“If that’s all you want then, I won’t complain. However once your mithridatism levels are high, you are going to miss your intoxication days. So we should continue with the training. We are running behind schedule as it is.” she said, rising up from her ball chair.

“Wait, you weren’t joking about being unable to get intoxicated?” he asked, with his mouth agape.

“Yes, only the strong have a high tolerance towards alcohol. I will give you just an hour to recuperate and then I will personally start training you. Just know that I am way worse than the wolves that you cowardly refused to face,” she said, near the exit of the hatch, “I will be using this amulet here to watch you, but because of that you will have to reimburse my mana plants by doing farm work.”

“Farm work? Like growing them? You grow your own mana?” he asked, raising his upper body erect to see her properly as her visage began to get obscured by the closing hatch.

“Yes, any wise individual would do so. Why waste time on galavanting elsewhere to find a single mana plant? Rest for now and wait for my return. I will make sure to compensate you with the booze you wish to consume after you have made progress.” she said, as she walked away as the hatch shut behind her. Tichaona then reclined back and wondered what kind of alcohol she would give him. Quendalion beers, spirits or juice, whatever it was, he was going to make this cohabitation with her a bit more palatable.

After resting, the pain on his neck dissipated and all that was left was an itchiness that reminded him of the former existence of a bulging wound. Tichaona pondered about this brother of terror that made even the dark figure quiver in fear. Not trying to undermine the gravity of the situation, he probably believed that at some point, he would have to seriously commit. From going from a suicide attempt to being made to live in an alternative world where feeding off each to gain power was once a tangible option, he now had to partner with this woman.

Tichaona didn’t really know what he wanted to make of his life in Goshem, considering that it was more or less a sandbox, where everyone who offed themselves were given a chance to relive their lives again, but for what exactly? Unlike in his former life, the environment here didn’t seem best suited for festivities, and probably, the creatures that he would come across, as well as the people and the natural elements, would prove to be a hassle. The party animal and bad influence was now deposed from his role as a jester to being a warrior in the making. As he heard the heavy footsteps of the towering dark figure, who was returning, he quickly accepted that this was now the kind of life he was living.

The dark figure showed up, wearing what looked like a jumpsuit with mosaic patterns. Apart from the busty assets on her body which were tightly pressed against the material, her ripped legs and muscular calf legs were imposing. Tichaona didn’t understand why she had to change into this, but her towering physique made him feel emaciated in comparison. The dark figure then told him to follow her. Tichaona’s neck was now stable so he teared off the cast that was supporting his neck and proceeded to followed her. The dark figure stated that they were going to go to some room to train, one that was deep down in the ship.

As they traversed the area, Tichaona began to feel as if a lot of time had passed and then asked her, “Couldn’t we have just used that teleporting jewel thing?” The dark figure glanced at him and then gave him a hard pat on the back, saying, “To waste the mana of a soul stone would be a great annoyance. Feeding them mana is quite a burden, so we will have to walk it out.” Tichaona then began to rub his back which felt as if it had been swatted by an iron, and gave her the look. She then looked down on him and chuckled. They eventually reached the room and there they found.what looked like a thrust theatre location. The elevated seats were numerous and the room echoed. There was a hollowness that accompanied the space and the air smelt like the interior of a brand new car. As Tichaona marvelled at the space, he quickly asked, “So not into music, but into theatre? Is this room not a stage show for Quendalions?”

“Hardly a stage show, it was more of a grappling room for entertainment. Our people are hot blooded, at least the blue race is, and we would rather watch people wrestle each other to a pulp. I brought you here, because this place would be perfect for me to raise you up. As you had requested, I will give you a brief roadmap as to how and what you’d achieve as you’d level up.” she said, as she got into a stance.

“The roadmap to getting strong, okay, give it to me.” he said, getting giddy as he flexed his joints.

“From level 4 going to level 9 or 10, your body will go through a huge jump from just utilising your brawn. Let me demonstrate.” she said, as she formed a fist and then throw a punch. Tichaona witnessed a blur effect close to her and the sound of air being outputted. The wall that was directly facing her fist was pulverized with a hole. Tichaona marvelled at this and immediately clapped his hands.

“So you can punch through the air and land a hit? That’s some vfx shit right there.” he said as darted back and forth between her and the wall.

“As your body gets stronger, you end up having excess energy that bleeds out of you like sap coming out of a tree. That is your ganoi, or what my people call ‘essence taking shape’. You will be able to utilise your ganoi as a projectile, shield or storage receptacle for energy. I rarely eat and use my ganoi to sustain my body for most of the time without ever going hungry or running out of energy. It’s something I am sure you will unlock once you have reached level 4. As for everything past 10, things become extremely interesting.”

“You know, if you had pitched me with this instead of the wolves bullshit, I would gladly played ball, anyways, let’s begin the training.” he said, showing a gleaming grin as he got excited about the prospect of attaining such power.