Book 1, Volume 3

Chapter 19

[ Cheer up Wylla! Remember it's not about the destination, but the journey that's important. After all, this is just the starter area otherwise known as the tutorial. Just look at how much you improved compared to your first battle. ]

Two rather large holographic orbs appeared in front of Wylla, showing her two battles side by side.

Michael stood there for a moment, taking it in, a smile lighting up his face as he saw the little feisty spitfire girl that was him dancing about and struggling fighting Pinkie and Red in the first orb. He groaned inwardly as he watched herself roll into the Royal Spider Lotus thorn bushes.

[ That part is one of the most replayed videos of the day moments on the Livestream channels Wylla! Yay! You're becoming a famous little girl, isn't that wonderful? Keep this up and you'll have a bright future filled with rewards ;) Much better than one filled with thorns. ]

“Well, I suppose that is true... I sure don't want any more thorns in my future.” Michael softly mumbled in agreement as his hands fiddled with his hold on the rod as he continued watching the orb.

The battle was both fierce and comical as he watched the mistakes that ended with her defeating Red while being sent 'whirlwinding' into the Oryn Tree pool of water with just 1 health point and 1 Oryn point left.

It was nothing like the second battle in which she used his wits and skills to their fullest. Kiting the Greens first while paying attention to the battlefield so as to not roll into hazards again. He was proud of her clever trap of luring the 2 Reds in to attack him from both front and back and then using their attacks against themselves causing them to crash into each other with the timely use of her new skill.

Michael rubbed his head with small lightly shaking hands... something is off... I keep switching... he... she... him... her... Michael... Wylla... becoming cloudy, muddled, merging... Ugh, Why? Is this... Is this the reason we're not allowed to make our in-game bodies that much different from our real-world bodies?... Changes, the changes seem to not only change the in-game body but affects in-game minds too... but isn't my in-game mind the same... same as my real mind? So that means... I'm losing... losing me, myself, and...

The sudden realization caused Michael's pulse to quicken and sweat to form on his scrunched brow in alarm as his hands tussled with his long silky hair. I need to focus, to remember... me: I'm Michael! A 16-year-old boy that will be a high school junior the start of this school year. And my current goal here is to reach rank 1, escape from the starter area, logout, and give whoever is in charge of this place a piece of my mind and... force them to change myself... my in-game character to male or else! Even if it means losing my Unique race. Michael thought without realizing that a sad little frown was etched upon his cute little face as his heart seemed to stutter.

Such a shame... this Sylven race really is perfect for me... why couldn't there be males? Michael's thoughts paused as the sweet delicious scent from the Oryn Tree sap caught his attention once more. Without even realizing it, he found himself right in front of the Oryn Tree, just outside the ring of thorn guards.

His golden eyes were drawn to the golden sap like magnets. He looked down at the thorn guards and pushed them aside with the use of his rod while warning them: “Prick me with your thorns and I'll bash you to pieces with my rod! Understand?”

The thorn guards quivered in understanding as the cute little bully stepped into their circle beside the Oryn Tree. Michael got up on his tippy toes, reached up with his small left hand, and scooped a glob of the golden sap off the trunk before retreating back outside the group of thorn guards.

It's so sticky and feels softly warm and this scent... this scent of honey and mint seems so delicious. Michael stood still, staring at the fingers of his left hand that was now held up in front of his cute little face. It was as if everything was fading, disappearing and all that was in her sights was the thick golden gelatinous sap that had such an inviting scent.

A couple of long-tailed Bluebirds seemed to be dancing and singing in the branches above as if in the middle of some type of courtship; The musical noise broke Wylla free... out of the trance.

This sap is so sticky it's hard to pull my fingers apart now. Wylla's face glowed like the beautiful morning sun as her smile touched her bright eyes. Playing with this sticky sap brought back memories of making taffy with dad back in the Garden Lunchbox Shop during the month of October in preparation for Halloween. “Hmm... I still need to loot the Furbees... so I need to clean my hand now... but how?”

[ That really does look sticky Wylla. I wouldn't try wiping it on something, it would just make your sticky situation way worse... maybe try something... oh I don't know... wet? ]

“Oh yeah. That'll work.” Wylla happily said as the sweet-scented answer naturally came to her. She then put her fingers in front of her small mouth and with her small rose-pink tongue took a lick of her sap covered fingers.

It was then that three things happened: The first one was that her small rose-pink tongue was washed in the blissful taste of honey and mint. It was just so tasty! [ ding ]

The second thing was, her tongue was now stuck to her fingers like a little kid sticking their tongue onto a frozen metal pole in the middle of winter.

The third thing was she felt as if that thick sticky gelatinous sap had entered her mouth, went down her throat, entered her body and then spread out into her heart to be carried to every part of her body. The flowing energy was both warm and minty cool, simply exhilarating... she felt as if changes were once again taking place within her. [ ding ]

And the fourth (unlisted) thing was a merry stream of musical laughter falling down upon her from the unseen divine Box Seats up above.

[ That's my Wylla ] Anari proudly proclaimed.

“... 'nari, helf meh... wat shuld I du?...” Wylla mumbled.

[ Here's a riddle Wylla: What's wet, near you, and not your tongue? ]

Wylla's golden honey eyes moved left and right, then stopped a moment to think... which would be a lot easier to do without the noise of the 2 long-tailed Bluebirds above and the trickling sound of falling water... Yup, that's when it hit her.

Wylla hurriedly walked around the Oryn Tree, with her rose pink tongue stuck to her small slender fingers and stopped in front of the Oryn Tree pool of water. She then knelt down and lowered her upper body so that her left hand and accompanying tongue submerged into the refreshing water.

Three short breaths later, she felt her small tongue come free from her no longer sticky fingers as the Oryn Tree sap dissolved away into the pool of water.

“Thanks, Anari. That was weird, I just couldn't help myself, it just smelled sooo delicious to me... and I felt that it did something to me... to this body.”

[ Oh that's nothing Wylla. It's just you becoming more... you :) ]

Cryptic much?... Oh well, guess I shouldn't worry about it much anyways. I won't be staying... staying in this body for long anyways. Wylla's eyes then glanced around landing on the lifeless Furbee bodies as her previous thoughts faded away into the horizon and new ones emerged; She remembered quickly reading about the Furbees when her Oryn Spirin Eyes activated, but since she was in the midst of battle, she really wasn't able to focus on everything the Info Box said about them.

Storymask

Hmmm, seems like the Michael vs Wylla Mind Battle is now underway... Who will be the victor in the end? And what about the Furbees? Just whose side are they on anyway? Coming up Thursday Chapter 20: Furbees – Friends or Foes?