The night was silent. The wind was cold. And the sky was full of stars just like any other night before. Inside a room, where only the moon's light shone within, a little girl whose eyes were much darker than the night was laying on her bed gazing outside, still patiently waiting for something.
The sun completely set on the horizon made the moon to be the only source of light that shone down the whole country, yet the so-called Energy the voice mentioned was still nowhere for the little girl to feel.
As minutes passed by, she cannot help but feel uneasy with her temples started to swell, aching her head.
It was almost nine in the evening. Since when she had to wait?
The little girl, whose none other than Vrylle, closed her eyes then threw a pillow over her face, forcefully organizing her thoughts.
Earlier today, she thought everything was proceeding as she pleased. Her classes which was pushed were easily rescheduled. The letter she got from Rosalie was handled easily too after she wrote one herself, then got a quick replay from the kid to moved their visit to the Imperial Library for another day.
Some of the classes she managed to attend were also perfectly goes well. The auction ended without a problem, and the dinner she had with the Duke and the young Paladin was merry and nice.
But now... she felt deceived. All her preparations' were useless.
Was the voice only gives her false hope?
Vrylle's stomach suddenly churned with the thought, and she bolted up, the pillow on her face fell to the floor. A chuckle later, one that mocked her own stupid confidence, she got off the bed and walked towards the drawer where the rings she purchased from the auction was stashed.
Since she got home, she did not check the rings personally and just put them away. But Vrylle had decided to bring the rings herself tomorrow to a blacksmith, for them to fix the poor items.
She bought them, so she had to use them, no?
But Vrylle cannot use them yet with their current state. She was afraid that she might really break them, which she can't afford after she spent 1 gold coin to it.
Her stingy soul ached even with just the thought of it.
Life was hard, and there this 'money' which was also hard to earn, made life thrice harder. Even she ground day and night from her part-time jobs, the money she got from it after fifteen days of working made all the money she earned last for only two days because of the bills she had to pay.
So, yes, she knew how tough to earn a living. And even though she was now a noble, she wouldn't let go of her stingy side.
Habits were not easily to get rid of, especially if one wasn't really willing to do so.
"Poor little things."
She hummed then reached out the old, tattered box upon opening the drawer. The box, though, was a little heavy and rough and a little moist against her small hands.
After feeling its texture, she opened it and the two shabby little rings glimmer against the moonshine, which was quite interesting since despite their appearance, they could still shine and wasn't dull at all.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure to brings out your beauty back again. Any blacksmith could do that simple thing."
Vrylle picked up the rings and carefully placed them on her palm, scrutinizing them. In any angle she viewed them to, the little girl can discern no special specs from it.
They had no stones embedded on them, no intricate designs, or any unique properties. Just a normal, simple, and plain silver rings. Then a thought crossed her mind, wondering who owned the rings before.
"Well, who cares?"
Just as the thought easily bloomed on her mind, it also easily disregarded along with a sneer since she was well aware that she will never going to find the answer to that thought. And by the looks of it, the rings has been worn, threw, and hidden for a very long time.
Whoever the former owner was, Vrylle assumed they had good reason for selling the rings away.
Well, at least, that was what she assumed.
The little girl shrugged on her own naive assumptions then slowly and carefully put the first ring on her right's hand ring finger, then put the other ring on her thumb, just to try them on.
Strangely, even though the rings had the same sizes, they miraculously fit into her tiny little fingers as if the rings were made for her. Completely satisfied that the rings fits her and doesn't look that bad, Vrylle stretched her hand forward and wiggled her fingers, content to the outcome.
[Armin's Spatial Silver Ring has been equipped. Ring's modification is now in process. 3%... 10%... 50%... 75%... 99%...]
[Armin's Spatial Silver Ring has been modified. The Host's capabilities matches the ring. As the Host's Energy has not yet bestowed, only a total of twenty slots has been opened.]
[Armin's Ring of Concealment has been equipped. All information about the Host such as Skills, Energy, and Aura have been completely concealed and cannot be detected.]
The sudden notifications that rang in her ears made Vrylle dumbstruck.
The mechanical voice that she had been ecstatic to hear was finally rang in her ears again. And the rings, the shabby, poor little rings undergone such huge changes in just a blink of an eye. They now looked so brand-new, very sleek and modern.
What's more, the voice said that the rings were Armin's Spatial Silver and Concealment Rings.
Does that mean that the owner was called Armin? Or maybe the one who made them?
[Energy has been selected.]
"...!!!"
Vrylle jolted, excitement filling her head. The moment she had been waiting for, it was finally come. She thought the voice only given her falls hope, that she was deceived, but she had never been this happy knowing that she was wrong and only assumed such things.
[To the account of the Host's high spirit and strong will, the Energy, Darkness, has been selected and now bestowed.]
Vrylle, in the little girl's body, suddenly fell into deep thoughts. What was that notification supposed to mean? High spirit and strong will? Stop bullshitting the soul and mind of a sixteen-year-old! She was no fool!
What strong will?
What high spirit?
She does not believe that! Her intuition told her that much! Only a complete idiot will believe and feel grateful for it! And the thought she had about miracles? Stop joking! It was now crumbled and turned to dust, swept away by the wind! There was no such thing as miracles! She had a feeling that voice schemed this from the start.
Though it wasn't really that bad.
[Synchronization started. Body modification will occur.]
"Body Modification? What does it- Arrghh... Ahhhhhhhh!"
Before Vrylle could finish pondering the voice's notification, she involuntarily let out a horrible scream as bolts of pain struck her fragile, little body. As if a raging lightning descended upon her, made her young flesh trembled until she lost strength, falls on the cold, hard floor.
Compared to the pain she felt back in the forest, what she's experiencing right now was thrice the abrasive. It was so strong, strong enough that if other noble kid were to be placed on her shoes, they would have fainted from the intense pain already.
Luckily, even Vrylle's new body was weak, her mind and soul had gone through a good deal of despair, helplessness and painful situations that she could at least persevere.
She was not an average noble girl.
"My Lady! My Lady, what happened?! Please, open the door!"
Outside, Rusty, whose standing motionless like a statue while sensing his surroundings, jolted and got alarmed after hearing a loud scream coming within the room. His heart raised frantically as he banged the door after his frantic cry.
He banged it many times with his fist, then kicked with all his leg's strength, yet the door did not even budge. And every time he uses his Aura along with his moves, the part of his body that made contact with it bounces off, as if there was an invisible barrier protecting it and preventing him to come inside.
That made him even more horrified. What was happening inside?
"What happened here? What's with the commotion?"
Minutes later, the Duke, Ezra, came along with some servants and soon even Everett followed. Everyone's faces looked anxious and within their eyes, answer shows to the Duke's questions, they just didn't want that bad feeling to come true. But reality was harsh, always and never going to change.
"My Grace, it was My Lady, but I can't get in, the door was locked."
"What?! Useless! Get away from the door!"
More banging on the door was now being made. Ezra was furious, his face was flushed with anxiety and worries. But whatever he did, the door seemed like it wouldn't budge, not even anytime soon. The banging continued as his expression gotten worst.
Another minutes passed by, even with her son, Everett, and the Knight, Rusty, joining him, their actions were futile. The door were incredibly sturdy. As of it was infused with some magic spells.
'Wait, what? Magic spells?'
Ezra's face darkened at the thought. Who the hell was brave enough to broke into his property and cast a spleenful magic? If he ever caught that perpetrator, he will make sure to torture him or her hundred times! No. Even a hundred time weren't enough if it is his daughter came into the picture!
"Everett! Get my sword! And get yours, too! We'll be breaking down the door with 'that'. Go!"
"Yes, father!"
Inside the room, the voices Vrylle heard from outside paled her already pale face. The pain was intense, she could feel the pricking pain throbbing all over her body. And even there were no cuts or wounds on her young skin, the sensation the pain giving her was like such, or even much worse.
Vrylle felt like her raw skin was being peeled off. Her whole body, as mere seconds flew by feeling hotter. Muscles and nerves feels like forcibly being stretched out. She's also literally hearing all her bones breaking. And her limbs, it feels like it was slowly tearing apart from her body. The pain was enough for her to faint, but she held on, biting her button lip until blood drew out.
Despite all the pain she's experiencing, she had no means to seek help from the people outside her chamber. In a matter of fact, it was the opposite, she wants them to leave her. She cannot let any of them get in. By the term 'Body Modification', that two words says it all.
She cannot let the process be interrupted in spite of the excruciating pain. She must finish the process by any means.
[Body tissue, organs, muscles, skin and bones has been completely modified. The Host's growth will now increased three times better than normal.]
"Was it... done...? Ugh... ARRGHH!"
Vrylle then forcibly swallowed a scream threatening to escape from her throat when the pain in her chest intensify, much more excruciating. Mere seconds later, her chest constrained, made her hard to breathe.
"Haa... Haa..."
From clenching teeth, Vrylle opened up her mouth, searching for air that could provide more oxygen on her lungs to pumped into her heart. Her throat and nostrils begins to hurt, too, and the pungent feeling make it worse.
Soon, the suffocating pain rushed into her brain. Blood was gushing out from her nostrils and the edges of her mouth. Her constrained heart pumping vigorously, Vrylle could hear the pumping pounding in her ears. Then she felt it, felt that anytime soon she will reach her limit. That she cannot bear the pain any longer.
How long will she have to forbear?
[The Heart of the Energy has now completely fused into the Host's soul. Modification, Synchronization, and Fusion are now complete.]
[Armin's Spatial Silver Rings has opened another slots due to the completion of Darkness. A total of hundred slots could be use. Sizes and weight does not matter.]
[Congratulations! You are good as new! Qualification Tests will generate after you meet all the proper requirements.]
[Alert! Due to the unique Aura the Host released for a split second, a familiar that could be of good use have been attracted. Please give it a name to start the imprinting of bond.]
Vrylle tried her best to turn around, kept urging herself to climb back up. The puny strength she had mustered up was getting stronger, then pushed her little forehead against the floor, shrinking her small body bit by bit, made her arched back like a cooked shrimp.
After few more moves, Vrylle straightened her body and raised her head, scanning her surroundings with narrowing and blurring eyes, looking for the so-called familiar.
Then soon after, faint sound of a thing that was being pulled out filled her ears.
"...What the-"
To her utter surprise, Vrylle almost swear as she witnessed such spooky scene. With her own shadow, something came to life. At first, it wiggled then stretched out. The part of her shadow that stretched forward soon slowly taking form. As a form of a small girl created, it seeped out of the floor and the remaining shadow pulled back to her like rubber.
The form it took no doubt was hers.
[The familiar is waiting. Please give it a name.]
Familiar. It came out from her own shadow. The form it took after also hers. And its hollow eye sockets that was staring straight into her gives her such a placid look, the kind of look which she was very familiar with.
Now she thinks she knew a better name for it. A name that plays a big role in her life. And Vrylle mustered up all her strength to move her lips.
"Ghost. From now on... your name is... Ghost."
[Name has been granted. Your familiar, Ghost, feeling jubilant by your choosing name.]
[Imprinting success! You are now bonded with Ghost. Every accomplishment you had with your familiar, a bond will become thicker. Bond Rate: 0.90%]
Vrylle smiled and then let her very exhausted body to fell. As her eyelids finally shut closed, Ghost, whose form was a shadowy-like smoke and emanating warm yet tenacious force, gathered above Vrylle's body and sucked her up midair, shrouding her completely with its Aura.
Few moments later, Ghost slowly floated her down then snuck back inside her shadow. That was also where the door tore down, and many people rushed their way to its master.