Calm Before The Storm (6)

Zero moaned as he tore out another chunk of meat from the juicy mountain goat thigh. If Freya was here, Zero would never have the chance to enjoy an expertly prepared spit-roast with his bare hands. The brunet got to know Douglas a little better over the dinner. Douglas was a half-Selkie and Zero wondered if they were descendants of Sedna.

The man was devastatingly handsome with his sea blue eyes and dark hair. His teeth were pearly white and the only indication that he wasn't human was how he had both webbed fingers and toes. Douglas had a rich baritone voice that was comforting to listen to although Zero had to fight the waves of sleepiness when he listened. It wasn't until Coux dispelled the charm magic Douglas was using on him that Zero understood what was going on.

"I'm sorry, kid. It was just so much fun seeing you try to stay awake," Douglas apologised after Coux kicked him in the shin.

Zero was amused. "That's going to bruise..."

Douglas grimaced and looked at his shin. True enough, it was starting to turn an ugly shade of black.

"Sorry, doctor. Could you help heal this?"

Coux shot the half-Selkie a glare and turned to Zero quickly.

"Don't worry, sweetie. It won't kill him to have a broken leg or two."

Zero pretended to consider the trader's words until Douglas begged for forgiveness. Everyone present watched in amusement at how playful the brunet could be. Vrald and Gerald cheered for Zero when the brunet denied the Selkie the first time. Douglas looked almost ready to cry so Zero gave in and healed the ouchie. He didn't heal with Selkie's broken heart until the man promised never to do it again.

"Ok, I'll forgive you," Zero finally relented, looking as if he was making the toughest decision in his life when he said so. "On one condition."

Douglas agreed without hesitation. "Answer me honestly, are you related to Sedna?"

The half- Selkie blinked and grinned, dusting the dirt from his pants as he got up from the ground.

"Legend has it that all Selkies were born from Sedna's grief. I suppose we're related in a way. Sedna is our creator and the mother of all life we know."

Zero wasn't too surprised. However, he was curious. "Does that mean you have a fish's tail too?"

Douglas shook his head. "Not fish, those would be our cousin species the merfolks. Selkies are seals with the ability to transform into humans by shedding their skin on dry land. I'm only a half-Selkie so I have webbed hands and feet. However, I can swim really fast underwater and breathe in it like Jacqueline."

"That magic... can merfolk use it too?"

Douglas grinned. "You bet they can. What I used was a kind of low-tiered charm magic so it isn't very powerful. Coux is better at charm magic than I am. Hypnosis is a very powerful ability."

Zero nodded and ate as he listened to Coux explain what charm magic was.

"In fact, I think you have some sort of charm magic around you too, Zero." The half-succubus smiled.

Burping loudly and apologising for his rude behaviour, Zero blinked. "I have charm magic? But I haven't learnt how to use that yet..."

Coux tilted her head to a side with a small frown. "I wouldn't say that it is a magic that needs to be learnt. It's almost as if it's in your latent bloodline. Just like how some species always have a passive magical ability like the Cockatrice with its deadly eyes, you have charm magic around you that is always active. I just can't identify what it is as I've never come across such a thing."

Zero was lost. What could Coux possibly mean? "Mii, do you have any ideas?" he asked silently.

Mii brought up Zero's status screen and the brunet tried very hard not to look suspicious as he read the details of his current status.

Name: Zero (previously known as Great One)

Species: Unknown.

Age: Unknown.

Titles: Creator of the World, Voice in the Void, Hua Tuo's Apprentice, Friends with Gods, Demon Lord Baal's Friend

Abilities:

- Absorption

- Energy manipulation

Absorbed Abilities:

- Grapple Vine

- Intuition

Blessings:

[Mind's Eye (Mii)]

- Encyclopaedia / Appraisal

- Party Map

- Party Call

- Avatar Materialisation

[Wisdom (Passive) by Buddha]

- Can understand all languages including plants and animals

- Able to learn things at a very fast pace

[Karma by Hades]

- Will reflect back any damage intended to be inflicted on Zero to the attacker

[One-Hit Kill by Zeus]

- Can create a miracle during desperate times in a battle

[Charmer by Freya]

- Make any strong-willed being an ally when skill is active, does not work on weak-willed beings

[Adaptation by Sedna]

- Copy 1 trait (physical or behaviour or talent) from each thing absorbed to be used without limit

[Gaia's Blessing by Gaia]

- Can transfer energy or magic freely without restraint

[Beacon by Isis]

- Can guide Bon in times of doubt and bring him to an old friend

[Judgement by Enma]

- Can convert sins into instant karma

[Tri coloured petal imprint (Murvin, Law & Isaben)]

- Artefact of Kindness, Acceptance, Trust (Abilities locked until Finding Nel's Quest is complete)

Skills:

- Meditation

- Summoning Contract

- Magic Perception

- Healing

- Revival

- Reconstruction

- Tranquil Mind

- Slumber

- Binding

- Health Boost

- Warrior Spirit

- Teleport

- Basic Elemental Mastery

- Basic Combat Mastery

- Godly Magic Control

Zero froze at the long list. It'd been a while since he checked his status. Many things change and it was more organised. Still, there were many new things that he was looking at for the first time. His stats had completely disappeared. His abilities have grown and some have combined into a different skill like Basic Elementary Mastery. The titles were new and Zero smiled. Indeed, he was friends with many people.

Going down the list, he frowned. Intuition seemed to be a new ability and it was under the list of absorbed abilities. Zero wondered when he acquired it. Could it be possible that it was what the nagging feelings were earlier today? Zero tried to recall what he'd absorbed recently apart from food. Then he felt sick.

Eyes. He'd absorbed Amaraline's eyes to create new ones for her using his reconstruction magic...

He didn't have much time to think over that because he found what Coux was talking about. There was a blessing called Charmer given by Freya. Although it was said to only be effective upon the activation of the skill, it seemed to be working passively. Was something wrong with the trigger? Zero didn't remember turning the skill on...

"It turns on automatically following your intention. You came to this village fully intent on making new friends and getting along with everyone. It obeys your subconscious command," Mii explained and Zero felt like his dinner disagreed with him violently.

Camie was the first to notice Zero turning into a shade of green and expressed her concern. The brunet didn't have much time to explain. He hurriedly excused himself and dashed outside to empty the contents of his heaving stomach.

"Zero, you alright?" the gentle giantess asked. Zero wiped his mouth using his sleeve and refused to answer, still visibility shaken.

Camie bent down and gently patted Zero's back. Zero was thankful for the concern and began to regain his composure. The shock of his discovery was passing slowly. It was the first time Zero took to observe the famous giantess. Zero didn't think that such gentle hands would belong to the strongest warrior in the village. Although Camie had roughly chopped brown hair, she had a pair of very warm eyes that soothed the boy.

"I did something really terrible," Zero admitted.

Camie didn't pry and allowed the boy some time to decide if he wanted to tell her more. Eventually, Zero did and Camie was silent until Zero was done sharing.

Instead of judging Zero for what he'd done, Camie placed her large comforting hand on his head.

"Don't blame yourself, Zero. It's not your fault. Besides, you helped Amaraline regain her eyesight and didn't mean to absorb her abilities. I'm sure she will understand if you explain it to her properly and apologise. I was like you once many years ago. I had human parents when I was younger but I had the strength that normal children didn't have. I can't recall how many times I broke my parents' bones because I couldn't control this power I had. It felt terrible but they never blamed me for it. I had to leave them for a while and visit the land of giants to learn how to put my strength to good use."

Zero looked at Camie curiously. "What is the land of giants like?"

The quarter giantess smiled. "It was huge. I didn't know how small I was until I went there. Adult giants were as tall as these trees. They can grow up to twenty meters and I was tiny compared to them. When I lived with my parents, I was at least twice as tall as they were. Imagine my fear when I lived with people five to six times my size... however, they were really gentle people and I learned that power could be controlled."

Zero understood what Camie was trying to say. "I want to learn how to control my powers better. Do you think the Giants can help me?"

Camie didn't know if they could but she knew for sure that the giants were creatures who were very kind and always willing to help. Even if they couldn't find a way to teach Zero how to control his powers, they would help him find a master who would teach him how.

"I'm sure they could! I heard that you're going to travel as a wandering doctor. Perhaps fate will bring you to the land of giants one day."

Zero smiled. Yes, he would definitely travel there.

"Thank you, Camie. I think I'm much better now. I'll talk to Amaraline about it and apologise properly."

"Anytime, Zero! It's getting late. Would you like me to walk you back to your apartment?"

Zero declined politely. He needed some time to walk around and settle his thoughts.

"Alright then," Camie conceded. "Don't stay up too late and don't walk too far alright?"

Zero agreed and waved goodbye to the giantess. Now that he knew what abilities he had, it was time to do some research on how to control his powers. He had many questions and he hoped that Mii was in a good mood to answer them.