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Sam lay on his back, looking up at the clouds. Even though the dragonfly he was riding on was zooming forward, it still took a while for the individual clouds to leave his vision. The chilling sensation coming from his root chakra continued to pulse, absorbing the nausea-inducing vibrations caused by the dragonfly’s wingbeats and movements. On Sam’s chest, Raindu was sleeping on its back with its belly exposed, its little legs dangling freely in the rushing wind.
“How long is it going to sleep?” Wendy asked, staring down at the ferret. She wanted to poke its belly, but who knew if it’d remove her organs on accident in its sleep? It was safer not to agitate something that could kill her with a simple touch.
Sam scratched his head. “You’re asking me, but who am I supposed to ask?” Sam had brought up the topic of training to the ferret. It blinked at him and yawned before gesturing towards the giant dragonfly they were riding on. The ferret had done so much work while Sam was sleeping, so it was tired, and it needed to rest, so it was going to take a nap. It didn’t say for how long, and it definitely wouldn’t cooperate with training if it was woken up before it got its fill of sleep.
Wendy stared at the ferret some more before redirecting her gaze onto Sam’s face. “Well, let’s not waste any time,” she said. “While Raindu’s asleep, I’ll explain some things you’ll need to know about Et Serpentium, so you’re not surprised when we get there.”
Sam swallowed. He had only heard rumors about Reptile Land while he was a talentless. Et Serpentium was the nation of reptilians, and reptilians were intelligent, man-eating beasts. From the vibe Tamara had given off when he first met her, Sam had a feeling the rumors weren’t wrong.
“First of all,” Wendy said. “Humans aren’t citizens in Et Serpentium; humans are exotic animals.” She narrowed her eyes at Sam. “That means reptilians treat humans as pets, food, or entertainment.”
Sam swallowed again before nodding. “Right,” he said. “We’re not going to enter as food, are we?”
“No,” Wendy said, shaking her head. “Tamara is going to register you as her pet. You’ll have to be perfectly obedient if you don’t want to turn into food.” She looked at Raindu. “If Raindu causes trouble, it’ll be Tamara taking responsibility, not you. If it’s discovered she’s a spy working for Monarch, we’re all dead, but she’ll die first.”
Sam’s brow furrowed. “Once we reach Reptile Land, we’re going to stick together, right?” Wendy had said Sam would be registered as a pet, but she didn’t say anything about herself. If she wasn’t going to be Tamara’s pet, didn’t that mean he was going to be separated from her?
“What?” Wendy asked. “Weren’t you scared of me? Why do you sound like you won’t be able to survive if I’m not there?” A smirk appeared on her face for a brief moment before her stony countenance restored itself. “Don’t worry too much. I’m entering Et Serpentium under a different identity, but I’ll still be nearby.”
Sam frowned. Wendy was leaving him. Although she was terrifying, at least, she wouldn’t do anything malicious to him while he was still useful. If a reptilian woke up late and skipped its breakfast and happened to see him, he’d be eaten. Sam’s eyes shifted downwards towards the sleeping ferret on his chest. Well, even if Wendy wasn’t there, he’d have Raindu to protect him. The ferret’s nose twitched, and it rolled over. It fell off of Sam’s chest and bounced across the rushing dragonfly’s back before coming to a stop thanks to Wendy’s thigh. The ferret’s eyes opened, and it blinked twice before looking around. Then, it curled up on the spot and closed its eyes once more.
“Look,” Wendy said. “He’s getting lots of rest to be at full power; he’ll definitely keep you safe when the time comes.”
Sam forced himself to laugh. It was weak, and he wasn’t sure if it could be heard over the rushing of the wind. It seemed like no matter how softly he spoke, Wendy was able to hear him perfectly fine. “Alright,” he said. “What else do I have to know to survive? How am I supposed to get close enough to the GMC to steal it?”
“I don’t know,” Wendy said and shrugged. “Tamara will instruct you when it’s time.”
Sam frowned, Monarch and its need-to-know nonsense. “How trustworthy is Tamara?” he asked. “Honestly, it felt like her vibe wanted to eat me when I first met her.”
“She’s completed many missions for Monarch,” Wendy said. “Even still, keep the details of your talent a secret.”
“What if she’s a spy?” Sam asked. “Why would a reptilian work with humans to damage the reptilian race?”
“She has her own reasons,” Wendy said. “If you get acquainted enough with her, perhaps Tamara will tell you herself.”
“How about you tell me in advance, so I’ll be prepared when she tells me herself?” Sam asked.
“If you keep poking your nose into places it doesn’t belong, it might get chopped off unexpectedly one day,” Wendy said.
Sam scratched his neck and turned his head to the side. So, he was curious. Was that a crime? Maybe as a talentless, but he was an awakener now. As an awakener, he’d be exposed to more life-threatening dangers, and what better way to avoid them than to know more about them? It was hard for him to trust Tamara simply because she was working for the same company as him; after all, the reptilian’s vibe showed she wanted to devour him. “Alright,” Sam said. “What can you tell me that’ll be helpful for me to know?”
“That’s a good question,” Wendy said, nodding her head. “Monarch has a recommended reading list for new awakeners. It’s pre-downloaded onto your phone. When you have the points, I’d purchase the books on that list.”
Sam furrowed his brow. “Shouldn’t the books on the list be provided for free?”
“People worked very hard to gather information,” Wendy said. “They risked their lives to do it. Why wouldn’t they charge for that information?”
“For the good of humanity?” Sam asked, not quite believing in his own answer.
“Yeah, sure,” Wendy said. “Give up your reward for completing this mission, and I’ll get you those books for free. How about it? You’ll be doing humanity a huge favor.”
Sam cleared his throat. “Never mind,” he said. “People should be fairly compensated for their labor. Speaking of which, can I get a bonus?”
Wendy stared at Sam with a neutral expression. “Why do you think you deserve a bonus?”
“Well,” Sam said. “We were supposed to travel by train to Et Serpentium, but now, I’m stuck in the air on the back of a giant dragonfly, and it’s hurting my mental and emotional health.”
“Have you forgotten why we aren’t taking the train?” Wendy asked and scowled at Sam. “If anyone deserves a bonus, it’s me. All you’ve done is cause trouble.”
“It’s not me,” Sam said and sat up. He instantly regretted that decision when the wind almost knocked him over. He lay back down. “It’s Raindu. I knew you shouldn’t have put so much trust into a newborn ferret, but you crazy people insisted on doing it anyway.”
“We’re not crazy,” Wendy said.
“Really?” Sam asked, lifting his head off the dragonfly’s back to look at Wendy. “What are our chances of completing this mission successfully? Higher or lower than fifty percent?”
Wendy stared Sam in the eyes. “Obviously, it’s lower, much lower,” she said. “Humanity is weak. Everything we’ve done to better our standing in this world has been a result of countless failures built upon more failures with very few successes in between. As awakeners fighting at the forefront, we will always be going against the odds.”
“Right,” Sam said. “And only a crazy person would be willing to bet their life on such risky odds.”
“You’re here, aren’t you?” Wendy asked. She shrugged. “People are free to do with their lives as they please: some trade it away for money, some trade it away to protect people they care about. Just because you can’t understand someone’s reasons for doing things doesn’t mean they’re crazy.”
Sam frowned. He was here because of the vague threats Monarch made against his younger brother, and he was also here for the money. Five hundred million could go a very long way, enough for him to risk his life for. “Then, why are you here?” he asked. “Don’t tell me you’re risking your life because it’s your job.”
“That’s confidential,” Wendy said. “But I will tell you that there’s something I’m interested in within Et Serpentium.”
“So, you plan on satisfying your personal interest while working to steal the GMC?” Sam asked. “Wouldn’t it be safer to focus on one thing at a time?”
Wendy blinked before pointing at Sam. “What did your list of tasks say?”
“Steal the GMC,” Sam said. It was easy to remember because there wasn’t much else.
“Right,” Wendy said, nodding her head. “If you’re stealing the GMC, what am I supposed to do? It’s not like there’s another GMC to steal. My mission was to escort you to Et Serpentium while filling you in on the details. Once we reach Et Serpentium, my personal interest takes priority over the mission; after all, the crucial task of stealing falls on you, not me.” She noticed Sam’s ugly expression. “If you want to blame someone, blame the innate talent you received.”
Sam lay his head back down and stared up at the clouds. He did say he’d pay whatever price to receive a good natural talent capable of changing his life when he performed that magic ritual. Now, he was given the chance. If he used his natural talent to complete one dangerous mission, he’d change his life for good. He’d never go hungry again; he’d eat until he was twice his current weight, then buy the necessary equipment to work himself down to a normal size. He’d also enjoy hot showers every day and install heated flooring everywhere in his new place he’d buy with his ginormous stack of credits.
“Don’t fret too much,” Wendy said. “Things will work out. You’re an awakener now. If you think negative thoughts, the more you think about them, the higher the chance they’ll come true. It’s similar to manifesting your intent.”
Sam blinked. Was Wendy concerned about him? He wasn’t thinking negative thoughts, but now, he wondered if he should’ve been, feeling a little guilty like a kid playing games before completing their homework. He thought a bit about Wendy’s words before asking, “Does it work the other way around too? If I think positive thoughts, will they come true?”
“Of course,” Wendy said. “Hard work and effort will usually help you achieve your goals.”
Sam had a feeling those two weren’t exactly the same thing as manifesting something by thinking positive thoughts, but the concepts did feel similar…? He wasn’t sure, but once he got that reading list, maybe he’d be enlightened. How long would it take him to go through the list though? “Just wondering,” Sam said. “There are audiobook versions for the books on the reading list, right?”
“Yes,” Wendy said. “Gaining another stream of revenue, why wouldn’t the authors sell their books in audio form?” She leaned over to look at the web-covered canopy of the spectral jungle. “Speaking of extra income”—her gaze landed on Sam—“are you sure you want to leave the spectral jungle without exploring it? With Raindu’s abilities, you could loot this place dry.”
“No bonus missions,” Sam said, shaking his head before looking back up at the sky. Five hundred million was enough to last him a lifetime. Why would he risk his life in the spectral jungle to earn a little bit of pocket change? “Besides, Raindu hates bugs, and it’s not like the spectral jungle’s going to stand up and walk away; it’ll always be here to loot whenever.”
“For someone with an S-minus talent, you’re not very ambitious,” Wendy said. “Your capabilities are higher now, but you’re still behaving as if you’re a talentless.”
Sam resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He awakened not that long ago, so he couldn’t really be blamed for still behaving like a talentless. It was like giving a tortoise wings and telling it to fly; of course, it’d be more comfortable on the ground. “Honestly,” Sam said, “it doesn’t feel like I have an S-ranked talent. Raindu’s the talented one, and I’m just a liability.”
Wendy looked down at Raindu, and the black ferret’s eyes popped open. The ferret scrambled over to Sam’s side before chattering at him, pointing at his face with the toe of its front leg.
“Yes, yes,” Sam said. “I’m not a liability. I’m an amazing individual.”
The ferret stood akimbo and glared at Sam, chattering some more.
“What?” Sam asked. “What kind of demand is that?”
“What does Raindu want?” Wendy asked.
A dark expression appeared on Sam’s face. “He wants me to say ten positive things about myself.”
Raindu looked at Wendy and chattered. Sam raised his head off the dragonfly’s back and said, “You’re allowed to help too. If we don’t come up with ten things, he’s not going to steal the GMC.”
Wendy stared at Sam, scanning him from head to toe. After thinking for a bit, she nodded. “Number one,” she said, “you’re not disabled.”
Sam furrowed his brow. “How is that something positive?”
“I could sever your leg, and you’ll find out,” Wendy said.
“Uh….” Sam turned his head towards Raindu. “I’m not disabled. Does that count as one?”
Raindu glanced at Wendy. If the ferret disagreed, the demonic-eyed woman might cut Sam’s leg off, so Raindu nodded its furry head at Sam. Then, it held up nine of its toes.
Sam rubbed his chin. If he used Wendy’s response as a template…. “I’m not hideous-looking.”
Raindu tilted its furry head, staring at Sam’s face. Sam’s expression darkened as the ferret stared for several seconds to judge the validity of his words. Maybe to ferrets, he was actually ugly? Raindu coughed and turned away, lowering several of its toes in the process. It peeked at Sam with a guilty expression before gesturing aggressively with its paws.
“Two more?” Sam asked. How did eight become two? He turned towards Wendy. “Be honest. Am I ugly?”
Wendy stared at Sam. Then, she turned her head away. “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”
Sam pursed his lips. Alright, so, he might not have been the most handsome individual out there, but the way Raindu and Wendy were acting made it seem like his face could make children cry upon seeing it. Wasn’t the ferret supposed to support him? Raindu lowering its demands out of pity left an uncomfortable sensation in Sam’s chest, but at the same time, he was glad because he didn’t think he could come up with ten positive things about himself; two was much more manageable. He sighed. “I don’t know why you want to put me through this.”
“Isn’t it obvious?” Wendy asked, answering in the ferret’s place. “He doesn’t want you thinking negative thoughts about yourself. It’s for your own protection. There are beings out there who are sensitive to negative energy, and they’ll actively take advantage of people who aren’t confident in themselves.”
Raindu nodded, confirming Wendy’s words when Sam turned to look at the ferret. Another sigh escaped from Sam’s mouth. “Awakeners have to be really careful with their thoughts, huh?” he asked. “How do you do it, monitor what you’re thinking all the time?”
Wendy shrugged. “Meditation can help,” she said. “Other than that, it’s simply a matter of survival. If you want to live, avoid actions that will attract predators.” She glanced at Raindu. “Also, work on things that’ll help you survive, like making sure your talent listens to your wishes. If you’re focused on accomplishing a goal, you won’t have time to brew negativity in your mind.”
A wry smile appeared on Sam’s lips. “What if I repeatedly fail while trying to accomplish my goal?” His eyes shifted down to look at Raindu. “I don’t think he’s going to make things easy for me.”
“There should’ve been a book in the candy bag,” Wendy said. “Ask Raindu for it.”
Sam blinked at the ferret, and the ferret blinked its beady eyes back at him. “Can I have the book?”
Raindu shook its head before holding up its two outstretched toes. The ferret’s meaning was clear: unless Sam thought of two positive things to say about himself, the topic of conversation wasn’t moving on.
Sam exhaled. “I’m patient,” he said, staring the ferret straight in its eyes. “If Wendy were your owner, I’m sure she would’ve committed some acts of violence on you by now.”
Raindu turned towards Wendy, and the blonde-haired woman nodded her head. The ferret snorted and lowered one of its toes before turning back to Sam, staring with unblinking eyes.
Sam scratched his head. Why was it so difficult to think of positive things to say about himself? Then again, the praise from the people around him had stopped coming as the years of him staying talentless dragged on. By the time he turned eighteen, people were looking at him as if he were a piece of burnt food stuck to the stove, a nuisance to be dealt with. Sam frown, and he looked at Wendy. “Why aren’t those beings you mentioned interested in the negative thoughts and energy produced by talentless?”
Wendy responded to Sam’s question with a question of her own. “People wait for fruit to ripen before eating them, don’t they?” She stared at Raindu. “Sam’s a curious individual; that’s a positive, no?”
Raindu bobbed its furry head up and down. It lowered its raised paws and let out a sigh of relief. Things would’ve gone poorly if Sam hadn’t been able to come up with positive things to say about himself, but luckily, the positivity-building exercise turned out just fine. The ferret reached into its fur and pulled out a book, offering the flapping object to Sam.
Sam grabbed the book and brought it close to his face to prevent the rushing wind from blowing it away. “How to train your dog, for dummies.” He turned his head to look at Wendy, and the blonde-haired woman shrugged.
“I told you,” Wendy said. “Nepotism. Blame the driver, not me.”