Dennis and Maya continued staring at the female looking monster, stuck frozen on the ground.
"Aw, am I scaring you?" She said with a playful smirk on her face. Suddenly, the air around them felt less oppressive, and they were able to breathe and move once more.
Maya moved first. She jumped off the ground, grabbed Dennis' stick and pointed it at her while assuming a battle stance. "What are you?!" She asked, her voice tense.
"Me?" The monster asked, pointing at herself with a puzzled look on her face. "I'm a spirit. What are you?" She asked back, now pointing in their direction.
"I... I'm a human... we both are" Maya replied, still standing her ground.
"Hu... man?" The monster repeated, now holding her chin with her thumb and index finger, the puzzled look still on her face.
"Are you some new species... or are you a hybrid?" The spirit asked once again.
"Wha... no, see... we were like... transported here or something... we just wanna get back to our home. Earth" Maya explained to her.
"So, basically you're... an alien species from another world?!" She asked, a gleam of excitement now in her eyes.
"Yeah... I guess so." Maya answered.
"I see" the monster replied back.
"Wait, you actually believe us?" Dennis asked while getting off the ground.
"I see no reason not to" the spirit replied to him. "I've been all around Eurynia and encountered every single spirit, beast and other species around here for decades, and yet this is the first time I've ever seen or heard of a human
"You don't seem to be creations of Lucien, so that must be the only answer left
"It would also explain your ability to use speech despite only having a white Kinetic Core."
When the monster finished her explanation, Maya and Dennis stared at each other, full of questions to ask the spirit. Dennis was the first to ask, "What's a Kinetic Core?"
"Your Kinetic Core is the core of your being. Responsible for harnessing your Kinetic Essence." She explained with a demonstration.
She lifted her hand and stared at it. The wind around them started picking up, and it flowed in the direction of her hand, which was now holding a ball of purple light.
Dennis and Maya stared in amazement, with their hair flowing in the wind.
"What's a Kinetic Essence?" Maya asked this time.
"Kinetic Essence is the energy our bodies possess. Responsible for sustaining our bodies, as well as strengthening us physically, intellectually, and magically" the spirit explained again.
"Can I do that too?!" Dennis asked like a child who had just seen a cool trick.
"Unfortunately, your Kinetic Core is currently much too weak to be capable of doing this." The spirit stated, which brought a bit of disappointment to Dennis.
"However, seeing as though you're already capable of speech despite possessing only a white Kinetic Core, you both certainly show immense potential" She continued.
"Why do you keep saying that? And how do you know what Core we possess?" Maya asked.
"Because I can see the see the small amounts of your Essence flowing through your bodies. Not to mention the color of your core is white." The spirit explained again.
"What? Where is this core?" Maya asked, still confused. The spirit place her hand on her chest in the direction of her heart. "It's over here, in the center of your body."
Dennis and Maya placed their hands on their hearts and felt their heart beats, then Dennis thought inwardly , 'So it's... our hearts?'
"How do we strengthen our Kinetic Core?" Maya asked the question they were both thinking.
"You have to obtain an Essence stone" the spirit answered.
"How do we get this stone?" Dennis asked this time.
"By passing one of the trials" She answered again.
"Trials?" Dennis and Maya said in unison before looking at each other.
"What trials?" Maya asked.
"That's not important for now." The spirit said as she skipped over their question. "Do you two have names that I can call you by?"
"Well, I'm Maya and this is the devourer of insects."
"No I'm not!" Dennis slapped the back of her head before answering, "I'm Dennis"
"I see" the spirit replied. "My name is Lyra"
"Lyra" the two humans repeated in unison.
"All right" Lyra said, bringing her hands together. She then extended one of them towards the humans and said, "shake my hand and we'll form a contract"
Dennis and Maya were once again confused, "what do you mean 'form a contract'?" Dennis asked.
"Contracts are the secondary way to increase your power. Two or more beings can form a contract, allowing each other to use certain amounts of each other's power depending on the terms of said contract." Lyra answered.
"Then why don't people just form contracts with each other instead of dong the trials?" Maya asked.
"Because, although contracts allow for beings to share power, the amount of power shared is limited by the rank of their Kinetic Core. The terms of the contract also play a part in how much power is gained
"The one who forms the contract can decide on the terms and duration of the contract, as well as the possible consequences for failing to uphold it. Because of its limitations, we would rather take our chances with the trials, which provide a greater boost to our Essence, albeit with greater risks involved."
"Okay, so what are the terms of the contract you want to form with us?" Dennis asked after absorbing all of that information.
"I will grant you bits of my power as you get stronger, as well as offer you my protection and guidance while helping you find a way back to your world.
"In exchange, you two will be my servants. You will obey my every request, and serve me with undying loyalty until I uphold my end of the contract.
"Should you betray me or disobey me in any way... you will die." She finished in a cold voice, intensifying the evil looking smirk on her face.
"Of course, I promise to be a just and reasonable master and treat you both fairly. I also won't push you past the lines of reason or morality... unless I have to. So, what will it be? do you accept my contract, or do you decline?
***
(Dennis)
This is a tough offer. On one hand, her help would be a massive boost to us. So far, we've been here for two days, and we've already barely managed to survive, so having someone who knows their way around here while also being strong enough to fight the creatures here will definitely be a big help. Plus, she is able to use magic using Kinetic Essence, which must be pretty advanced. But wait,
"How strong is your Kinetic Core" I asked her.
"I currently have a purple Kinetic Core, which is the fifth out of the seven ranks of our Core stages." Lyra replied back to me.
I don't know how true her information is, but unfortunately, I'll have to rely on it.
So I get to use a portion of the power of a pretty powerful being, but I have to be her servant as a result. That isn't bad, however, if I disobey her... I die. That's the only problem.
As much of a help she may be to us, I don't really trust her. She seems like a bad person, or spirit to me. There's every chance in the world that I accept her offer and she turns out to be a cruel dictator... but, she did promise to be fair and just, so maybe that's part of the terms of the contract. But, it could also be a trap for us.
In this situation, she holds all the cards, this must be why most of the people here don't form contracts, especially since there's apparently a better way to get powers here.
After some more thinking, I made my decision.
***
(Maya)
This contract could change our lives here. For the past two days we've been living like cavemen, forced to hide in a cave while being in constant fear for our lives, with no food to eat or water to drink.
But at the same time, maybe it's my pride speaking, but I don't want to be anyone's servant. I don't want to have to bend over backwards following someone else's orders, especially not when I don't have a choice.
"Should you betray me or disobey me in any way... you will die" those words played over and over again in my head. Accepting this contract gives me a chance to not only survive here, but also find a way back home.
Thanks to Dennis, I was also able to learn that Lyra was one of the stronger beings in this world. I don't know exactly how strong she is, or how their ranking system, works, but if she really is as strong as she claims to be, that will give me some peace of mind.
The only problem is... "in exchange, you two will be my servants". If I accept this contract, I gain strength and power, as well as some hope... but I'll also lose my freedom. But if I decline, I may never find a way home, and without the powers she promised us, I have no doubt that I'll die very quickly, either I'll get killed, or my body will just give up on me.
I just hope she really will be as just as she promises to be.
***
The two went silent for a few moments, contemplating this offer, which would no doubt change their futures in this world. Then, at the same, they faced each other, trying to see what they will decide, then they looked back at Lyra and said in unison,
"I accept"