Chapter 25
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Mm. Alec looked at the group of trees that surrounded him, then looked away again.
He… he might have gone a tad overboard in his zealous quest to figure out what he could do with this new discovery of his.
Mn yeah… had Alec been the type, he would have coughed sheepishly as he looked at his handiwork, but he wasn't, so he just stared on blankly.
So, if anyone wondered… there was now a little area of the forest that was Awakened by him. Maybe about a hundred meters in radius? Also, he might not have slept… at all.
He had honestly intending to do a single other tree to see if they would be able to connect and bond, but then that other tree had produced rather stellar results, so he tried on more…
Before he knew it, the sun's rays were already hitting his face.
Alec repented as he felt the sun's warmth on his skin, then leaned back on the branch on the very first tree he Awakened yesterday. Now that he was aware, the rush of fatigue suddenly hit him on full.
His body was not yet fully developed, and it was a miracle that he had been able to stay the night up anyway. He honestly didn't know how he did it, considering he usually knocked out around ten at night.
Any attempt to keep his eyes open lost against the urge to sleep, so he gave in. Of course, he would still wake up should he hear anything amiss, but he wouldn't count on it. Monsters, unlike their animal counterparts, were more active during the night.
Bunbun, seeing his owner look so tired, procured some food for himself, then hunted a bit to bring back some food for his owner. He then quietly stood guard to protect his defenceless owner.
Actually, he didn't need to do that, since his newfound friends were there to keep an eye on whatever dangerous creatures tried to draw close, but Bunbun felt restless doing nothing.
-
Alec woke up feeling refreshed, just as the sun was hanging high in the sky.
He lazily stretched, a rare indulgence.
Sitting up, he absently caught Bunbun's body as he fell off, only to freeze in horror as his hands touched the cold, clammy body.
Horrified, he stared at the white bunny in his hands, his mind blanking out. What happened!?
Alec put the body next to him, feeling the urge to swear. At this point, he finally noticed that it wasn't Bunbun's body, but instead, another bunny.
This was made clearer by the bond that he could still feel from Bunbun, who was now nuzzling his side, but still!
That had in no way been good for his heart. The split moment when he thought that the bunny had died on top of him had been traumatising. He honestly didn't know how he would be able to sleep soundly without his hands on the bunny from now on.
No.
Just no.
Alec levelled a stern look at his bunny, crossing his arms.
Realizing that Alec wasn't pleased with him, Bunbun's ears drooped sadly, but Alec would not be swayed! This could not go on. He didn't think his heart would last long if this kept happening.
"Don't do that again," Alec told the white bunny, who was directing teary eyes at him. He refused to soften. "What do you think you are? Some cannibal bunny? How could you kill another of your species?!"
Bunbun cocked his head, not understanding.
Alec jabbed a finger into the bunny's face, causing him to go cross-eyed.
"No, understand?" Alec said, pointing at the dead bunny on the side.
He was thankful and everything, but that just wouldn't fly. Not if he was about to constantly have mini heart attacks every time he saw a rabbit or bunny's dead body.
It just wasn't right. This was equivalent to him killing a human then bringing it back to someone like some kind of prize conquest.
He paused. Why didn't that freak him out more?
Well, whatever. By now, Bunbun was looking very chastised, so Alec relented a little. The things this bunny did to his heart… unfortunately for him, he was already somewhat attached, so it didn't look like he would get rid of the bunny any time soon.
"Thank you, but bring something other than bunnies next time, okay?"
Ugh. Since Bunbun already brought them this bunny, then they would just eat it. Or rather, he would eat it?
Alec dropped to the floor and used some of the sticks from yesterday to start up a fire. He sparked the flints together, and soon the fire roared away in a small, controlled manner.
As he prepared the meat, Alec's mind drifted back to the humming at the back of his mind. It wasn't there unless he actively sought it out, but it was indeed more noticeable than before, more with the sheer number of them rather than anything else.
Err… perhaps he had been a tad overzealous during his quest in sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation always caused one to do things they would usually, and with this seven-year-old body, there was no way he wasn't hit hard and fast.
Well, what was done was done, and he now had a lot more information to work with.
For instance, not every tree he had Awakened using 'intent' was a sure pass. If he had to say, it was around fifty percent at the moment. However, even if he didn't manage to Awaken a core, that didn't mean that it was a lost cause.
He could try again and again until he managed it, which was why he ended up with so many trees Awakened in the process. The joys of success by far outweighed the taste of failure, and after many strings of failure, the moment he got a success, he went on another high.
Another thing he discovered was that it was indeed possible to link the trees. That meant that if one of them felt that something was off, every other tree would go on high alert as well.
This was helpful mainly as a detection or scouting method for the time being, but what were the chances of him being caught in a sticky situation where he was in the midst of his group of trees? Slim to none, that's what.
Not to mention, it took quite some time for him to Awaken anything at all.
On the bright side, the more he Awakened, the more he felt like he was getting the hang of his magic. Whereas earlier he had been struggling and groping around in the dark, he now had a tiny, dim light to guide him.
He still had to squint and guess, but it was coming easier now.
He absently grilled the meat lightly. It was tasteless and bland, but he wasn't eating for the taste anyway.
Alec resolutely ignored the way Bunbun was eating out of the corner of his eye. He didn't see anything.
With that done, Alec made his way back to the first tree he Awakened yesterday, taking a closer look at the core now that he had linked so many other Awakened trees to it.
His eyes narrowed.
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Mm. Alec looked at the group of trees that surrounded him, then looked away again.
He… he might have gone a tad overboard in his zealous quest to figure out what he could do with this new discovery of his.
Mn yeah… had Alec been the type, he would have coughed sheepishly as he looked at his handiwork, but he wasn't, so he just stared on blankly.
So, if anyone wondered… there was now a little area of the forest that was Awakened by him. Maybe about a hundred meters in radius? Also, he might not have slept… at all.
He had honestly intending to do a single other tree to see if they would be able to connect and bond, but then that other tree had produced rather stellar results, so he tried on more…
Before he knew it, the sun's rays were already hitting his face.
Alec repented as he felt the sun's warmth on his skin, then leaned back on the branch on the very first tree he Awakened yesterday. Now that he was aware, the rush of fatigue suddenly hit him on full.
His body was not yet fully developed, and it was a miracle that he had been able to stay the night up anyway. He honestly didn't know how he did it, considering he usually knocked out around ten at night.
Any attempt to keep his eyes open lost against the urge to sleep, so he gave in. Of course, he would still wake up should he hear anything amiss, but he wouldn't count on it. Monsters, unlike their animal counterparts, were more active during the night.
Bunbun, seeing his owner look so tired, procured some food for himself, then hunted a bit to bring back some food for his owner. He then quietly stood guard to protect his defenceless owner.
Actually, he didn't need to do that, since his newfound friends were there to keep an eye on whatever dangerous creatures tried to draw close, but Bunbun felt restless doing nothing.
-
Alec woke up feeling refreshed, just as the sun was hanging high in the sky.
He lazily stretched, a rare indulgence.
Sitting up, he absently caught Bunbun's body as he fell off, only to freeze in horror as his hands touched the cold, clammy body.
Horrified, he stared at the white bunny in his hands, his mind blanking out. What happened!?
Alec put the body next to him, feeling the urge to swear. At this point, he finally noticed that it wasn't Bunbun's body, but instead, another bunny.
This was made clearer by the bond that he could still feel from Bunbun, who was now nuzzling his side, but still!
That had in no way been good for his heart. The split moment when he thought that the bunny had died on top of him had been traumatising. He honestly didn't know how he would be able to sleep soundly without his hands on the bunny from now on.
No.
Just no.
Alec levelled a stern look at his bunny, crossing his arms.
Realizing that Alec wasn't pleased with him, Bunbun's ears drooped sadly, but Alec would not be swayed! This could not go on. He didn't think his heart would last long if this kept happening.
"Don't do that again," Alec told the white bunny, who was directing teary eyes at him. He refused to soften. "What do you think you are? Some cannibal bunny? How could you kill another of your species?!"
Bunbun cocked his head, not understanding.
Alec jabbed a finger into the bunny's face, causing him to go cross-eyed.
"No, understand?" Alec said, pointing at the dead bunny on the side.
He was thankful and everything, but that just wouldn't fly. Not if he was about to constantly have mini heart attacks every time he saw a rabbit or bunny's dead body.
It just wasn't right. This was equivalent to him killing a human then bringing it back to someone like some kind of prize conquest.
He paused. Why didn't that freak him out more?
Well, whatever. By now, Bunbun was looking very chastised, so Alec relented a little. The things this bunny did to his heart… unfortunately for him, he was already somewhat attached, so it didn't look like he would get rid of the bunny any time soon.
"Thank you, but bring something other than bunnies next time, okay?"
Ugh. Since Bunbun already brought them this bunny, then they would just eat it. Or rather, he would eat it?
Alec dropped to the floor and used some of the sticks from yesterday to start up a fire. He sparked the flints together, and soon the fire roared away in a small, controlled manner.
As he prepared the meat, Alec's mind drifted back to the humming at the back of his mind. It wasn't there unless he actively sought it out, but it was indeed more noticeable than before, more with the sheer number of them rather than anything else.
Err… perhaps he had been a tad overzealous during his quest in sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation always caused one to do things they would usually, and with this seven-year-old body, there was no way he wasn't hit hard and fast.
Well, what was done was done, and he now had a lot more information to work with.
For instance, not every tree he had Awakened using 'intent' was a sure pass. If he had to say, it was around fifty percent at the moment. However, even if he didn't manage to Awaken a core, that didn't mean that it was a lost cause.
He could try again and again until he managed it, which was why he ended up with so many trees Awakened in the process. The joys of success by far outweighed the taste of failure, and after many strings of failure, the moment he got a success, he went on another high.
Another thing he discovered was that it was indeed possible to link the trees. That meant that if one of them felt that something was off, every other tree would go on high alert as well.
This was helpful mainly as a detection or scouting method for the time being, but what were the chances of him being caught in a sticky situation where he was in the midst of his group of trees? Slim to none, that's what.
Not to mention, it took quite some time for him to Awaken anything at all.
On the bright side, the more he Awakened, the more he felt like he was getting the hang of his magic. Whereas earlier he had been struggling and groping around in the dark, he now had a tiny, dim light to guide him.
He still had to squint and guess, but it was coming easier now.
He absently grilled the meat lightly. It was tasteless and bland, but he wasn't eating for the taste anyway.
Alec resolutely ignored the way Bunbun was eating out of the corner of his eye. He didn't see anything.
With that done, Alec made his way back to the first tree he Awakened yesterday, taking a closer look at the core now that he had linked so many other Awakened trees to it.
His eyes narrowed.
Mm. Alec looked at the group of trees that surrounded him, then looked away again.He he might have gone a tad overboard in his zealous quest to figure out what he could do with this new discovery of his.Mn yeah had Alec been the type, he would have coughed sheepishly as he looked at his handiwork, but he wasn't, so he just stared on blankly.So, if anyone wondered there was now a little area of the forest that was Awakened by him. Maybe about a hundred meters in radius? Also, he might not have slept at all.He had honestly intending to do a single other tree to see if they would be able to connect and bond, but then that other tree had produced rather stellar results, so he tried on moreBefore he knew it, the sun's rays were already hitting his face.Alec repented as he felt the sun's warmth on his skin, then leaned back on the branch on the very first tree he Awakened yesterday. Now that he was aware, the rush of fatigue suddenly hit him on full.His body was not yet fully developed, and it was a miracle that he had been able to stay the night up anyway. He honestly didn't know how he did it, considering he usually knocked out around ten at night.Any attempt to keep his eyes open lost against the urge to sleep, so he gave in. Of course, he would still wake up should he hear anything amiss, but he wouldn't count on it. Monsters, unlike their animal counterparts, were more active during the night.Bunbun, seeing his owner look so tired, procured some food for himself, then hunted a bit to bring back some food for his owner. He then quietly stood guard to protect his defenceless owner.Actually, he didn't need to do that, since his newfound friends were there to keep an eye on whatever dangerous creatures tried to draw close, but Bunbun felt restless doing nothing.-Alec woke up feeling refreshed, just as the sun was hanging high in the sky.He lazily stretched, a rare indulgence.Sitting up, he absently caught Bunbun's body as he fell off, only to freeze in horror as his hands touched the cold, clammy body.Horrified, he stared at the white bunny in his hands, his mind blanking out. What happened!?Alec put the body next to him, feeling the urge to swear. At this point, he finally noticed that it wasn't Bunbun's body, but instead, another bunny.This was made clearer by the bond that he could still feel from Bunbun, who was now nuzzling his side, but still!That had in no way been good for his heart. The split moment when he thought that the bunny had died on top of him had been traumatising. He honestly didn't know how he would be able to sleep soundly without his hands on the bunny from now on.No.Just no.Alec levelled a stern look at his bunny, crossing his arms.Realizing that Alec wasn't pleased with him, Bunbun's ears drooped sadly, but Alec would not be swayed! This could not go on. He didn't think his heart would last long if this kept happening."Don't do that again," Alec told the white bunny, who was directing teary eyes at him. He refused to soften. "What do you think you are? Some cannibal bunny? How could you kill another of your species?!"Bunbun cocked his head, not understanding.Alec jabbed a finger into the bunny's face, causing him to go cross-eyed."No, understand?" Alec said, pointing at the dead bunny on the side.He was thankful and everything, but that just wouldn't fly. Not if he was about to constantly have mini heart attacks every time he saw a rabbit or bunny's dead body.It just wasn't right. This was equivalent to him killing a human then bringing it back to someone like some kind of prize conquest.He paused. Why didn't that freak him out more?Well, whatever. By now, Bunbun was looking very chastised, so Alec relented a little. The things this bunny did to his heart unfortunately for him, he was already somewhat attached, so it didn't look like he would get rid of the bunny any time soon."Thank you, but bring something other than bunnies next time, okay?"Ugh. Since Bunbun already brought them this bunny, then they would just eat it. Or rather, he would eat it?Alec dropped to the floor and used some of the sticks from yesterday to start up a fire. He sparked the flints together, and soon the fire roared away in a small, controlled manner.As he prepared the meat, Alec's mind drifted back to the humming at the back of his mind. It wasn't there unless he actively sought it out, but it was indeed more noticeable than before, more with the sheer number of them rather than anything else.Err perhaps he had been a tad overzealous during his quest in sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation always caused one to do things they would usually, and with this seven-year-old body, there was no way he wasn't hit hard and fast.Well, what was done was done, and he now had a lot more information to work with.For instance, not every tree he had Awakened using 'intent' was a sure pass. If he had to say, it was around fifty percent at the moment. However, even if he didn't manage to Awaken a core, that didn't mean that it was a lost cause.He could try again and again until he managed it, which was why he ended up with so many trees Awakened in the process. The joys of success by far outweighed the taste of failure, and after many strings of failure, the moment he got a success, he went on another high.Another thing he discovered was that it was indeed possible to link the trees. That meant that if one of them felt that something was off, every other tree would go on high alert as well.This was helpful mainly as a detection or scouting method for the time being, but what were the chances of him being caught in a sticky situation where he was in the midst of his group of trees? Slim to none, that's what.Not to mention, it took quite some time for him to Awaken anything at all.On the bright side, the more he Awakened, the more he felt like he was getting the hang of his magic. Whereas earlier he had been struggling and groping around in the dark, he now had a tiny, dim light to guide him.He still had to squint and guess, but it was coming easier now.He absently grilled the meat lightly. It was tasteless and bland, but he wasn't eating for the taste anyway.Alec resolutely ignored the way Bunbun was eating out of the corner of his eye. He didn't see anything.With that done, Alec made his way back to the first tree he Awakened yesterday, taking a closer look at the core now that he had linked so many other Awakened trees to it.His eyes narrowed.
