Chapter 13

Should I simply be thinking about the link, or was it how the link would work? I wasn't sure, but as soon as I considered it the link between the two abilities began to form. More importantly I finally understood why I wasn't able to form any links when I pondered linking my bond with spatial storage to allow the girls access to the storage space.

As the link began to form a mana wisp flew out of my mana heart and fed the link. I hadn't realized it before, because I wasn't looking into my mana core when I formed the link between bond and mental. Each link needed a mana wisp to form. Which would also explain why I had thought I had seven wisp then only had six when I went to create new abilities.

I looked into my mana heart to see how many wisps I had remaining. It took me a few moments to count them all with the way they moved around, but finally I was sure I had eleven. That was a staggering amount to me, as each wisp was the equivalent to a single level up for an ability and only one of those grew by two levels during the mana wave. The disparity didn't make sense to me. If my mana core could absorb enough mana to form twelve wisps, why didn't my abilities grow by three or four levels instead of just one?

I shook my head, then decided to ignore it for now since I had no one to give me an answer. Instead I decided to form the link between bond and spatial storage then shifted my consciousness out of my mana core. Thankfully once the link formed it seemed active unlike the link between bond and mental which was still dead despite the increases to both abilities.

Once I opened my eyes I saw Karen and Megan peering at me expectantly while Heather still seemed confused.

I took a deep breath then let it out. I was more than a little nervous at the moment. This would be my first time using mana with conscious intent. I had no idea if it would even work, even if I knew how it was supposed to. I gave the girls a wink. "Wish me luck." I told them.

The three of them looked back at me like I had gone crazy but I ignored them.

I concentrated on my new shadow ability and focused on the idea of summoning an elemental like Enya. As soon as my intent was clear I instinctively began to gather the mana within me then shifted it into shadow energy before using it to form a gate between my location and somewhere else. A ball of shadow the size of a baseball formed in the air in front of me then began to spin and expand until the ball changed shape into a disk the size of a dinner plate an inch wide. Then the disk hollowed out forming a ring with the excess material flowing into the ring seeming to make the ring denser, or at least that was I assumed as the black shadow seemed to get even darker. The information that I had gained from the skill inserted itself at that point informing me that the excess material was strengthening the ring. Finally when the ring was complete it began to spin, shadows from the room were drawn into the ring filling it with darkness. Then I felt a wave of mana from the ring. It wasn't anything like the big waves that caused me pain, instead it was like a breeze that flowed in when a window was opened. Looking through the ring I couldn't see anything different, all I could see was the darkness of the shadows the ring had drawn to it, yet I knew that if I stuck my arm through the ring it would enter whatever shadow domain the shadow elementals lived in. Then as I watched a piece of the darkness broke off from the rest and flowed through the ring. As soon as it was through the ring snapped back into a ball then dissipated into nothing.

The shadow that came through the ring shifted around for a moment as it floated in the air then descended to the coffee table and changed shape into a woman with pale white skin and long black hair that reached down to her feet. It was so dark that it seemed to absorb any light around it. She stood the same height as Enya in her fairy form but wore a pitch black dress that hugged her every curve, which were just as perfect as Enya's though appeared a bit more mature. Then again the woman looked older than Enya so maybe it wasn't her figure that looked more mature, but the way she carried herself.

Black feathery wings spread out behind her, though the edges of her wings looked smoky, almost indistinct.

"No Fair!" Enya shouted unhappily.

The shadow fairy turned and winked at the crimson crow then looked at me. "Hello Master, my name is Delilah it is a pleasure to meet you." She told me her voice was low but seductive. I was sure she was going to be trouble.

"What the hell!" Heather said, staring at Delilah in surprise.

"Ask Micheal later." I replied.

"Would Micheal even know what to tell her about this?" Megan asked me.

I shrugged, "No probably not." I admitted.

Enya flew over and landed beside Delilah. "No fair, no fair, no fair!" she called out looking Delilah over.

"What isn't fair little one?" Delilah asked.

"How do you have clothes?" Enya whined.

Delilah giggled. "I just imagine my form clothed in whatever style I wish." she told her then proceeded to do just that and shifted her black dress into black shorts that barely covered her ass, and a halter top exposing more of her pale skin.

Immediately Enya shifted into her fairy form her red feather wings spread out exposing her tiny yet perfect nude form to all of us.

"No child, the form you take is what you imagine it to be, add clothes to the image of that form in your mind and the clothes will become a part of it." Delilah explained.

"How would I take them off?" Enya asked curiously.

"Why would you want to?" Megan spoke up.

Enya squeaked then looked around as if she just now remembered she had an audience. She closed her eyes as if trying to avoid our stares, or at least that was what I thought before clothes appeared on her. A sparkly red ball gown with a low cut neckline and a long cut up the side appeared over her nude form.

Once it was in place Enya opened her eyes then looked down at herself. "It worked!" she cheered then hugged Delilah excitedly.

"So it did, though not what I would choose to wear." Delilah commented looking at Enya skeptically.

"Um Daryl?" Karen asked while looking at Delilah.

"Yeah?" I asked.

"I am not trying to criticize your tastes, but wouldn't something like a dark elf be a better choice for a shadow element? Or at least something with a skin tone that isn't so pale?" Karen asked.

I was about to object but Delilah beat me to it.

"Why would I take the form of a drow when Master is clearly human?" Delilah asked.

"Does it matter?" Karen asked curiously.

"Of course. There are many races that are prejudiced against all but their own. So when an elemental is summoned we take on the same race as the master with a form he prefers." Delilah explained.

"So Daryl prefers busty white girls, no surprises there." Megan chimed in.

Delilah frowned up at Megan. "Did I not just say I take on the race of my master?" she asked with a frown.

"Wait, that includes skin color?" Megan asked.

"Is this world one of peace and prosperity?" Delilah asked, confused.

"You said race, skin tone doesn't change one's race." Megan huffed angrily.

"No, but taking the form of the master is so they feel comfortable working with us. The color of one's skin is a common reason for discrimination among the humans of many worlds. Though I must admit that it is not limited to humans. I was once summoned to a world where the social caste of elves was dependent on how dark the green of their skin was." Delilah told us.

While I thought the discussion was a bit too philosophical, I was happy, Delilah seemed more informed than Enya, so hopefully we would be able to get some answers about what was going on.

"Wait, did you say green elves? Did you mean orcs" Megan asked curiously.

"Yes green elves, and no I did not mean orcs, those are a different race altogether and are not limited to green skin. Their skin colors vary as widely as any of the other races. Are there no green skinned humans on this world?" Delilah asked.

We all shook our heads.

"I see." Delilah said. "Well we seemed to have deviated from the original issue. From my appearance you are only able to ascertain that Master prefers busty females." she told us, causing me to blush.

Megan laughed at my expense.

"So if Daryl preferred men you would take the appearance of a male?" Karen asked curiously.

"Of course. As an elemental I do not have a gender like you." Deliliah told us.

A quick glance at Enya showed her nodding.

"Though I must admit I approve of this form." Delilah stated with a smile while running her hands along the curves of her body. "My last bonded master preferred a form very similar to this one."

"Oh, oh, oh, I am bonded, master bonded me!" Enya told Delilah proudly.

Delilah looked up at me with a devilish smile. "He did? How interesting." she stated then licked her lips seductively.

Yep, she was definitely going to be trouble.