On the way back to the hotel, Karl called out to Thor, who immediately began to run in a circle, sniffing the other team members so that he would recognize them as friends later. Then he came to stand by Karl’s feet and looked around for something to eat.
“There isn’t much food out here. But there are more friends. When we get back to the Academy, I will introduce you to other trustworthy people as well.” Karl explained.
The Lightning Cerro was the size of a large dog already, up from the ostrich egg size that he started from, and his horns were already beginning to grow. One on his nose, above the thick beaked mouth, and two more on the armoured frill that looked strangely like jade stone, slightly shiny, with wavy white lines through it in a pattern that spread down all its scales and thickened to pure white on its belly.
The tail ended in a large armoured ball with small studs all over it, like a living wrecking ball, but Thor was careful not to smash people with his tail as he ran around.
The townspeople looked at them like they were crazy, wandering around with a baby Lightning Cerro, but the creature was happy like a puppy and not attacking anyone, so they didn’t voice their complaints about the danger of bringing monsters into town.
[Humans don’t get big, do they? Just wait, I will be big enough to take care of you soon.] Thor informed him with certainty that made Hawk laugh.
Karl hadn’t realized that the beasts could hear each other when they talked to him, but Hawk certainly could hear Thor.
Thor wasn’t worried about Hawk, though. His scales were so hard that the average Windspeed Hawk would only pose a minimal threat to him, and they would be unable to drag him away into the sky with his size. Hawk still might not be able to lift him easily, but with Rend and Shred, the winner of a fight between them was unlikely to be Thor until he grew up.
[Humans don’t have to be huge, they’re smart. Haven’t you been looking at all the strange things they have made? This place is like one huge web for hundreds of them.] Rae added in her gentle voice.
Thor didn’t understand. Webs weren’t a danger, they were just silk strings. But there were plenty of humans here, a whole herd of them that stayed in one spot, so they must be strong somehow.
Thor took in everything that there was to see, and relayed the information to the others. Rae didn’t want to come out in the light, and Hawk knew that they were likely to shoot at him if he flew around town.
Jodi led them to an open field near the edge of town, a sport field for the local school, and then stopped the group.
“Let’s get everyone out now. I know that Rae isn’t comfortable in the light, but we’re all friends here, so it should be alright.” He announced, using his tone to imply that it was more of an order than a suggestion.
Hawk happily went to stand by Thor, but Rae hesitated, still uncomfortable being in the open and around anyone in the light.
Karl went over to stand in the shade of some trees at the edge of the field, and Rae relented, exiting the Beast Space to hide in the branches.
[If there is a threat, I will pull you right back into the space if you don’t notice it first. Just focus on the space, and you can return to it when you are close to me.] Karl informed the skittish spider.
“Isn’t she coming out?” Jodi asked, and Karl sensed Rae’s smug smile even without looking at her.
“She’s a Bloodbath Spider. Her body adapts coloration to her surroundings. She’s in the tree, you idiot.” Anise reprimanded him, speaking for the first time all day and startling everyone.
She was normally quiet and let the boisterous blonde man do all the talking, but when she did speak, her reprimand brought him to an instant stop.
“Oh, right. Yes, there she is.” Jodi stammered, while Alice openly laughed at him.
[I like your friends. They’re funny.] Rae giggled.
“Miss Rae, would you mind attacking a barrier spell for me, so we can see how your abilities are growing?” Alice asked politely, before making the barrier in the branches of the tree, so the spider didn’t have to come out.
Rae inspected it for a moment, then her body surged with power, and she descended upon the barrier in a frenzy of violence.
As soon as she attacked, Karl understood the brilliance of the Bloodbath Spider’s evolution. The energy on her front claws and mandibles adapted as soon as she first touched the barrier, and insight flowed into Karl’s mind.
[Offensive Adaptation] passive ability that allows attacks to take on a more efficient form based on the target.
Alice whistled in appreciation as the blows rained down on the barrier until the spider exhausted herself and backed up to the trunk of the tree, annoyed that the barrier didn’t break.
“That is impressive. Just on attack power, you would certainly be ranked as Ascended, though the actual energy level is much lower and at the bottom end of Awakened.” Alice informed her.
Then the mage turned to Thor. “Would you like to try as well?”
She set up the barrier on the ground, standing as tall as herself, and Thor ran off into the distance, then coated himself in lightning before charging forward.
The beast hit the magical barrier with a bang, and rebounded, lifting himself up off the ground and hurling himself back half a metre.
Then he laughed, ran off and came at it again.
[This is awesome.] Thor cheered as he slammed into the spell again at a full run.
“Be careful, or you’re going to break a horn.” Karl laughed as the Lightning Cerro made for a third pass.
[Horns are hard. They will be fine, the Lightning isn’t breaking.] Thor replied, then slammed into the barrier again, lighting it up and flinging himself into the air.
“How his neck is fine after that, I have no idea. I’ve never seen an animal seriously injure themselves in a charge, but it’s not normally that violent.” Daniel joked.
Thor roared in pride, and slammed into the barrier again before laughing and panting.
“We will have to work on your cardio if you’re going to play with the barrier all day long.” Karl informed him.
[I don’t know what a cardio is, but I trust you.] Thor replied as he caught his breath and prepared to go again.