Molly was in no state to walk after the spider attack. Although I had healed her she was shaky on her feet. I carried her on my back as we made it out of there. The whole time Molly couldn't stop shaking. She clung to me like I was her only anchor in an emotional storm.
I talked to her in a gentle voice trying to calm her nerves and distract her from the current situation.
Gradually the signs of spider habitation disappeared as we left the area. The density of the trees thinned letting in more sunlight and slowly Molly's shaking subsided. She still clung to me but once we left the area Molly stopped being terrified and started easing up her grip.
The crisis had passed for now but we still had to go to the goblin camp.
As I walked my thoughts turned to that fact and what we were headed toward. I doubted that the Goblin Chief would just allow us to approach him.
Resolving myself to find a way to get Molly through this I opened up the notifications that I had ignored at the end of the spider attack. I scanned to see if there was something in there that could help our odds.
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Experience earned... +30 currency
Level up... +1 stat point
Ability available for selection...
Antidote purchased -25 currency
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Well that will do nicely. I had expected the experience earned and currency notifications after the spider attack but I didn't expect a level up and a new ability selection. As usual I spent the stat point in Soul. Then I quickly scanned the abilities available.
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Going through my databanks I thought about what I needed to keep Molly safe. I thought back about not being able to get the spiders off Molly in time.
I remembered all the times Molly was under attack but I couldn't do anything because I was to far away. I calculated the possibility of Molly getting hurt when we confronted the Goblin Chief.
Would we be swarmed by goblins? In most fights so far we were outnumbered and most wanted to get in close and attack.
What I needed was a way to push enemies back or a way to shield Molly at a distance.
In the end I chose an ability called telekinetic shield.
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Telekinetic Shield
Form a square shield plane 3 feet (91.44cm) by 3 feet (91.44cm) in any orientation within a 30 foot (9.144 meter) radius. Block all incoming strikes but shield requires Aether to maintain proportional to damage impact and time maintained.
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Having made my selection my status now looked something like this.
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Menu
Status
Body: 4 (+1) =5 (10% resistance to poison)
Mind: 6
Soul: 5
Stat points: 0
Ability points: 0
Abilities known: Healing Light, Charged Shock, Telekinetic Shield
Aether 400/500
Recovery 1 per 20 seconds
Currency: 12
System Shop...
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The +1 body and resistance to poison was from the unicorns blessing.
I had much to thank that unicorn for. Molly had received the same blessing of the unicorn and without it I hate to think about what could have happened. Hopefully my new ability would be enough to shield her from now on.
Having finished up with the system screen I closed it and turned I my attention back to Molly.
As we traveled onward i started telling her that she was such a brave girl back there and that when we get back home I am sure her parents will be so proud at how brave she has been.
This seemed to work as it made Molly focus on the goal of getting home instead of remembering the terror of the past. She managed to get off my back and walk for herself as determination filled her eyes.
We had exited to a clearing with a fruit tree with delicious looking fruits on it when Molly's stomach all of a sudden growled.
