Chapter – 10 - Almost Dying From Energy Overload!

'Damn! Why do I always get stuck in such nerve-wracking, death-attracting circumstances?! Can't I just sit quietly in some over-looked corner of this world and not try to seek out new adventures? Now your curiosity is about to beat you to death! Ahhh! This is so painful! Can't I die a little more painlessly? Of all the times to retain consciousness! Just faint! At least you'll get to die without going through the entire process!'

'Oh, shut-up for goodness sake! Your screams are loud enough to pulverize my ears.....on top of that you are stupid!'

Despite the bone breaking pain, Rihanna's ranting came to a sudden halt, and she almost tripped on her flow of thoughts. What the heck? Wasn't it that same voice again? But why did it seem so close....almost like it was inside her mind?!

'Yeesss....I am inside your mind....full points to you. Stop thinking nonsense and focus your mind. You have to tame the energy rampaging like a driver-less car inside you.'

'Yeah right...and that is just so easy....!!'

'Of course it isn't easy, but then who asked you to mindlessly start pulling in the energy inside your body!'

'What pulling in?...I was just meditating. This is something I have always done before.'

'Earth doesn't have this sort of energy. You can't randomly go around using meditative techniques from your planet! If they misfire you'll not know how you died! Now stop all your random thoughts, and focus on the strands of energy inside. Just as you were doing before, you have to pull all the strands together, and make them flow in a single path, unobstructed throughout your body. The strands which have already entered your muscles and bones...well...leave them for the time being.'

'What do you mean leave them?!....They are the most painful!'

'I know, I know, stop cribbing! You focus on the task I have given you. Controlling the energy in your muscles, blood and bones is beyond your education level! I'll take care of it. Now focus.'

Slowly a different energy seeped inside her, targeting the bones and muscles. It felt very familiar at the same time very peaceful and healing. The sharp gnawing and overbearing pain which had engulfed all her body slowly receded. Rihanna took a long and shaky breath, then restarted channelizing her mind through the body, pulling in the strands of energy randomly rushing about, gently yet forcefully pulling them along. As the flow of energy smoothed out and joined together to form a complete circle flowing continuously through her body, the pain became more and more numb, coming down to a more acceptable range. The energy circling around also slowly settled down near her navel area, circling tightly in a warm and comfortable ball.

Throughout this very long and arduous process, the deep purple light had re-emerged from Rihanna's body, circling around in a direction opposite to the energy circle inside her body. Particles of purple light were seeping in and out of her skin.

The large yellow eyes were staring at this flowing purple light, it's gaze sharp, it's thoughts hidden behind it's constricted pupils. As it continues staring, the purple light wavered for a moment, as if sensing it's presence. Then a stream of light ruthlessly hit out at the creature behind the eyes. It penetrated through it's glabella, creating waves of shuddering pain. The eyes looked up in shock, then immediately vanished. Sensing that the beast had truly left, the purple light once more turned calm, continuing with it's healing mission.

Rihanna had entirely lost track of time. She was lost in a trance state, all her senses focused entirely on the energy inside. The circle of energy near her navel had grown into a tiny ball, about as big as a lychee, dense and white in color. She could see it through her inner senses. Strands of silver dust revolved around this tiny ball of energy.

Rihanna could sense an extreme peace enveloping her body, and even in a trance she was smiling foolishly on the outside.

A tiny white head bobbed out through a broken wall in the corner of the hall. Large green eyes blinked in mischief as the head poked around the black hole. A small black snout sniffed eagerly at the air, then the head cocked to one side, as the eyes moved, flitting around trying to check where the smell was coming from. Stopping on the girl still seated in the middle of the hall, it squinted lightly, then immediately enlarged in playfulness.

Then completely ignoring her, a small white fluffy body barreled out of the hole, jumping and skipping around the walls and pillar.

Rihanna could almost feel her ears wagging.

'Am I a dog?...When did my hearing sense become so strong?'

She still double checked on the energy inside her. Seeing that it was tamely moving around without any threat of sudden revolt, she sighed deeply, then slowly opened her eyes.

'Aish!...When did the light get so bright?'

She blinked again, trying to adjust to this sudden invasion, then widened her eyes in disbelief.

There was a cute white fox cub in the hall, currently playing 'chase-my-own-tail' and going round and round in circles! Perhaps getting dizzy from all the circling, it tottered around on it's short legs, and then plopped down on the ground.

Regaining it's breath, it gave itself a vigorous 'licking-bath', then opened it's mouth wide to give a loud yawn.

It was in the middle of it's yawning that it caught sight of Rihanna staring at it unabashedly, and it almost forgot to close it's jaws.

'So scarrrry!....Momma!...Why is that girl staring at me with such hungry eyes?....I can almost see her drooling.....is she planning to eat me?!....But....why???...I am so cute!!'

So the girl and fox stared at each other, albeit with different expressions. Rihanna really, really wanted to hug the cub and give it a vigorous rubbing – it was just too cute. On the other hand, the cub misinterpreted her intentions and felt wary and panicked.

Finally Rihanna realized there must be something wrong with the way she was staring, because that cub looked scared!

"Ahem....don't mind me....I just find you really cute....and wanted to cuddle you a bit. But I'll not do it if you find it offensive. You don't need to look at me like I am a bad guy. I am a really good girl. Hey!....To show my friendship, here is a token of love and peace."

Rihanna scrambled through everything she had tossed into her space ring, dragging out some of the roasted meat strips. Crawling on all fours, she moved a bit closer to the cub, then placed some of the meat strips on the ground before returning back to her position.

The cub was still sizing her up.

"And to make sure that there is nothing wrong with this meat, here, I'll take a few bites from this."

And Rihanna chomped down on a roasted strip. Hmmm....she was really hungry....how long had it been?.....Her throat was completely parched and closed up, making her choke on the meat bites.

She hastily took out some water and gulped it down. The water and meat burned all the way down from her throat to her stomach.

'Oh...this is bad!....Now my stomach is cramping!'

Rihanna lay down on the floor, rolling in agony. Tears were forming at the corners of her eyes, But still she tried to smile at the cub.

"Eh....don't follow me....this is because I haven't eaten in a very long while. So my body is reacting to the sudden invasion of food.....There is really nothing wrong with the meat.....It's neither poisoned nor has it gone bad.....really-really!....Just try it...it's really well cooked...and quite flavorful too!"

The white fox cocked it's head to one side, looking at her with an 'Idiot' in his expression. Rihanna could see the scorn and pity in his expression.

Then it slowly and elegantly got up and walked up to the meat on the floor. Sniffing around it, it took one of the bits in it's mouth, and chewed it up nicely and slowly. Before long all the strips had disappeared down it's gullet. Then it turned and looked at the strips still held in Rihanna's hand, it's eyes shining greedily.