Aria triggered the command. A spray of ice shot forth into the opening. Aria directed it back and forth and up and down, freezing and killing the spiderlings. This is working amazingly well.

  She heard a twig snap. Aria turned to her left but didn’t see anything. She scanned the area while listening just to be on the safe side. After a couple of minutes and not finding anything, she shrugged and checked the nest again.

  All dead. Now come to momma you sweet, sweet silk, Aria thought. She pulled the web out and picked off the spiderlings, letting the baby monsters fall to the forest floor. Aria deposited the web into her inventory and froze when another tree limb snapped.

  Am I being hunted? That sounded close, Aria wondered. But I don’t see, hear, or smell anything other than what I’ve detected here already. Maybe It’s just animals. I suppose deer, rabbits, and the like break twigs and branches if they step on them.

  Still not sensing anything, Aria turned her attention to the next nest. Still, I need to make this quick. I don’t want to spend all day harvesting silk.

  *

  Gunny: How’s things coming kiddo? You’ve been at it for a good while.

  Aria: I think I’ve harvested enough silk. There were a lot of nests and spiders.

  Gunny: Did you level up?

  Aria: Nope. Most of the spiders were babies or spiderlings, whatever you want to call them. With most being at level 1 too.

  Gunny: Huh. If I understand Collingsworth’s system correctly, you should have leveled.

  Aria: Beats me.

  Gunny: Well, we’ll talk to Collingsworth about it when we get back. Come on back and we’ll camp here for the night.

  Aria: I’ll come back soon. I found a nice little clearing next to a stream. I want to unwind a bit.

  Gunny: Tell me you did not bring a bikini and that you’re thinking of laying out.

  Aria: Fine, I won’t tell you. Just teasing! Don’t worry Gunny. I’m in a monster infested forest. I’m not that dumb.

  Gunny: Be careful.

  Aria: I will.

  *

  This is nice, Aria happily thought as the breeze blew her hair away from her face. The sun is shining, the sky is clear with just a few clouds, and the birds are singing. The only thing missing is a beech or being home in the mountains. This area is just too flat.

  Aria closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the trunk of the tree she was sitting under. The birds stopped chirping just as she started to feel drowsy. Even the insects stopped making noise.

  Aria’s eyes opened and she came instantly alert. What kind of predator is here now?

  A growl answered her unspoken question. Partially hidden in some bushes opposite the clearing was a large cat.

  That’s one huge cat, Aria thought. She triggered the identify command.

  Cave Lion Level 4

  “Oh shit,” Aria whispered. She slowly started getting to her feet. The cave lion growled again and stepped fully out of the bushes.

  It was huge, easily reaching five feet at the shoulder. Aria’s best guess was that it was eight feet long as well if you counted the tail.

  “Nice kitty,” Aria said in a soothing tone of voice. The cave lion roared. A sound made her look to her right. Another cave lion was crouched in some tall grass and shrubs. It looked slightly smaller than the one facing her.

  Cave Lioness Level 3

  The lioness exploded forward in a rush. Aria jumped towards the lion.

  This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

  She screamed in pain as the lioness’ claws caught the back of her left leg just above the ankle. The lion charged forward.

  Aria landed on her right foot and spun out of the way of the male. His claws raked her thigh. She screamed again and fell to her butt. Aria triggered the fireball command and blasted the lion.

  The fireball caught the cave lion in the rear. It roared and dropped to the ground. It then rolled in an attempt to put the fire out.

  The lioness had not been idle during this exchange. She rushed Aria and pounced, pinning the elf to the ground.

  Aria turned her head. The lioness’ open maw descended towards her head and neck.

  60

  Aria woke up screaming. The young woman then found she couldn’t move. In fact, she couldn’t feel her arms or legs at all.

  “It’s alright dear. It was just a dream,” a woman said. Aria tried to look in the direction the voice came from but couldn’t turn her head. The woman came into view and sat beside her on the side of her bed. “It was just a dream. You’re here and you’re fine.”

  “Dr Roth?” Aria asked uncertainly.

  “Yes dear,” Dr Roth replied, rubbing Aria’s head and shoulders.

  “Why can’t I move?”

  “What do you remember?” Lin Roth asked.

  “Being attacked by cave lions,” Aria answered. What is going on? Why am I here? Why is she here? Where is my hair? She started to hyperventilate. Suddenly, she calmed down. What is happening to me?

  “That was a dream. Tell me about it,” the doctor said. Aria did so. Lin Roth smiled. “You’re an elf in your dream and one I turned you into?”

  “What you called a high elf, yes,” Aria replied. “But I’m not one?”

  “No dear, you’re human still,” Dr Roth answered. “Tell me more about your dream.”

  “Sure,” Aria agreed. She continued her tale.

  “You invented a form of ‘magic’?” the doctor asked.

  “Yes,” the young woman answered.

  “Magic would be nice,” Lin remarked.

  “It’ll work too. At least our simulations show her hypothesis will work,” a man’s voice announced. It was familiar, but she couldn’t quite place it. Aria glanced to her left. Dr Craig Clarkson stood looking at a tablet.

  Except he was older than he had been in her dream. He was also overweight and balding. That made her gasp in surprise.

  Dr Roth frowned. “Craig, I told you altering your appearance in her dreamscape was a bad idea.”

  “Bah! You’re just jealous that she wanted to have sex with me,” Craig said.

  “Except you never looked like that,” Lin retorted. Clarkson scowled at Dr Roth but didn’t say anything else.

  “Why can’t I move or even feel my fingers?” Aria asked. “And why don’t I have hair?”

  “The aircar crash in your dream really happened,” Dr Roth answered gently. “You barely survived. The others did not.”

  “Others?” Aria asked.

  “Your parents,” Craig muttered. Lin glared at him. “I still have her emotions shutdown, so it’s fine.” He flipped his tablet around. “See, not even a blip.”

  “Fine,” Dr Roth said.

  “Now, can we put her back under and start the procedure?” Craig Clarkson asked. “The surgical team is waiting.”

  Lin Roth nodded and turned back to the bedridden young woman. “We’re going to help you sleep now.”

  “But I don’t want to go back to sleep. I might have another nightmare,” Aria protested.

  “You won’t have another nightmare. I promise,” Dr Roth said. “Actually, you’ll sleep a dreamless sleep and when you awake, you’ll be as powerful as the mythological Gaia.”

  “You’re really going to turn me into an elf?” the young woman asked.

  “No,” Dr Roth laughed.

  “We’re going to turn you into something much better and more profitable,” Craig muttered. He tapped on his tablet. “Shutting her down.”

  Lin ignored him. “In fact, my dear you will awaken as my Gaia.”

  “I’ll become a goddess?” Aria murmured sleepily.

  “Just as good as one,” Dr Roth promised as the girl fell asleep. She stood and nodded. “Perhaps even better than a goddess.”

  “Finally! We can get rid of the meat sack,” Craig said.

  “Don’t be so crass,” Lin replied. “Sure, she’s just a torso, but that girl is our future.”

  “Just the brain,” Craig retorted.

  “Get on with it,” Lin said as she walked out of the room.

  *

  “Why does the AI’s avatar look like Aria Baird?” Sofia Laurant asked as she looked at the holographic black haired, blue eyed beautiful girl in front of her.

  “Because the AI was Aria Baird,” Johannes Sagan replied. He looked at Dr Roth. “Care to explain?”

  “Of course. We thought it would be best for Gaia to have an avatar,” Lin said.

  “Because it is psychologically better for people to see another person that they talk to, know is real, or can at least picture in their mind,” Sofia interrupted. “I know that.”

  “Gaia still retains some of her past life’s… memories,” Dr Roth explained. “Her appearance is one such memory.”

  “Fine. Whatever,” Sofia said. “Can Gaia control the insect drones in Southland?”

  “Gaia?” Lin asked.

  “I can,” Gaia answered. “But I have a better option in mind.”

  “What kind of option?” Johannes asked.

  “Familiars and fairies,” the human based AI answered.

  “Explain,” Sofia commanded.

  Holographic fairies and other creatures appeared beside the AI’s avatar. Some of the creatures were normal looking animals while others were mythical creatures.

  “I propose using fairies as our eyes in Southland instead of the drones and in certain cases my… hands when action is required as well as making the park seem more magical,” Gaia answered. The doctor and executives nodded their understanding. “The familiars will again act as spies as well as being rewards for those that have earned them. In fact, my fairies could even be gifted as familiars as well.”

  “Other than being spies and companions or pets, could these familiars help their owners?” Johannes asked.

  “Yes,” Gaia answered. “Some will have access to the magic system I have created while others will provide more physical assistance in combat.”

  “My team can have a handful of prototypes built within in a month,” Dr Roth added.

  “I like the idea. Selling them could also be very rewarding if we go that route,” Johannes said as he nodded his approval. He looked at his boss. “Sofia?”

  “I approve your prototypes. Keep me informed,” Sofia Laurant said as she stood. “I quite like the idea of pixies and fairies being partnered with children. Let’s investigate that idea further.”

  “Yes ma’am,” Dr Roth happily replied. She watched the executives leave the conference room. “Well done, Gaia. Let’s get started.”

  End