"Come on, face me. I have to beat you and take your power so I can be accepted into the unit of that other idiot with the black-blue hair."
The Qephraï looked into the distance and indeed saw Enette. Then he looked back at Sebastian.
"For you to assimilate me, you must pass the trial I impose. Many of my kind make humans fight, but not me. And you arrive at the perfect moment I only have one week left before I disappear. Well then, I'll give you my trial."
"Before you disappear?! What do you even mean by that?!"
"Oh no… don't tell me you know nothing. Go back to your unit leader, he'll explain. I don't feel like doing it. I'll snack while waiting."
« What? Is he serious? And why didn't Enette explain any of this to me before the fight? What a pathetic and incompetent leader… he sends me straight into danger without a single piece of information. I must look like a clueless idiot now… fine, I'll go see Enette. »
Sebastian returned to his group. Enette had a surprised look on his face.
"What the ?! Why are you coming back to me? Go kill him, idiot! Are you chickening out? Then get lost from my unit!"
"Calm down. The Qephraï told me to come see you because he only has one week left before he disappears, and his trial isn't a combat trial. And since I know absolutely nothing because my leader didn't have the intelligence to explain anything I came back so I don't accept a trial blindly."
"Ah, right… well, normally you're supposed to know all that. You're as clueless as if you came from another planet… Anyway. To put it simply: if a Qephraï isn't assimilated within three months, he disappears completely. But Qephraïs hate being assimilated, so they create trials. If they lose, the human can assimilate them they hate that, but it lets them survive.
They MUST give trials. The only way for a Qephraï not to disappear is to either win the trial meaning the human dies and they get another three months without facing anyone… or give a trial to someone who can't assimilate, which gives them only three extra days. That's a last resort.
And the final method is killing another Qephraï. Also last resort.
So if it's not a combat trial, you have to ask him yourself. And anyway, even without a fight, if you fail, you die."
"Alright. For once, you're useful. I'll go back and ask for his trial."
Sebastian walked back to the Qephraï, who was eating grapes.
« Where did he even find grapes? These monsters can enjoy Earth food too…? »
"Alright, let's start. I'd like to know your trial first."
"Very well. Before we begin, I am allowed to ask you three questions. It's part of my trial. They are simple questions meant to learn more about you. And of course you cannot lie.
First question: do you know my ability?"
« Alright, I see… I don't know if he's bluffing. I can't risk lying. I should be honest. »
"I don't know it."
"Good. Second question: do you like grapes?"
« Huh? What kind of stupid question is that…? »
"Yes, I like them. Not particularly a fan, but… let's say I appreciate them. Maybe not as much as you seem to."
"Haha, yes, you're right. Well then, the last question: what is your name, young man?"
« Shit… what do I say? Should I give him my real name, or the one I have here? Technically I don't have the body or soul from my past life, so both answers could be correct.
Still… I should give him the name I use in this world. »
"I… my name is Abel Verdalys."
"Good. Now I'll give you my trial. Why is this tree the only one in this vast plain? You have all the time you need to think, but you may give only ONE answer. If you're wrong, you lose. Good luck, Abel Verdalys."
« He's serious?! How am I supposed to know why this tree is alone here? I don't even know if HE knows… I'll have to inspect everything carefully. The only clue is that the surroundings are huge and empty, except for this one tree… »
Abel walked around the tree while the Qephraï leaned against its trunk. Touching the bark, Abel found nothing unusual. He drew his sword and pierced the trunk.
"Careful, Abel Verdalys. If that tree falls, you'll destroy my temporary shelter."
« Huh?! Are all Qephraïs this twisted? What kind of trial is this? It feels impossible… even that bastard Enette probably couldn't solve it.
My only advantage is unlimited time. I can spend the whole day thinking. Though it'll annoy my unit… damn this monster.
Alright, I'll sit in front of the tree and examine it closely. Maybe it has a strange shape. »
Abel sat in the grass facing the tree and stared at it. The Qephraï wasn't even watching anymore, but Enette and his unit stared at Abel like he was insane.
"Chief, what is he doing? That can't be part of the trial…?"
"Pfff, I don't know what he's doing. If he can afford to act stupid, it means there's no time limit… which means we'll be stuck here for hours. What an idiot. Why did Anastasia assign him to me… SERIOUSLY!!! Why is he sitting in the grass?!
Fine, if we're stuck all day, we might as well sit down too. Damn it… I never lose my temper, but that kid is stupid and unbearable."
« Nothing strange… how am I supposed to guess something so random? Wait… if he asked me, then there must be a reason. I know! »
Abel unsheathed his sword again and stabbed the ground, digging several cuts until he spotted something like roots.
« That's it! If there are roots, then there must have been other trees here. He must have removed all of them and left only one the one that suits him best. You're done, idiot. You're mine now. »
"Qephraï, I found the answer."
Sebastian stepped closer to the tree.
"Really? Then tell me. I'm eager to hear what you've come up with."
"The tree is alone here because…"
« Huh? Wait, grapes grow on trees now? No… I was wrong. I almost died.
The tree… he put it here. He asked if I knew his power.
The tree fits him too perfectly, grapes growing on it impossible normally. And when I stabbed it, he told me to stop… it wasn't to protect the tree, it was to stop me from climbing higher.
So the tree is alone because there were NO trees before, and he placed it here with his ability.
Should I also explain the ability? For me, it must be something like fulfilling a desire creating what he wants.
I'll go with that. »
"The tree is alone because there simply weren't any trees here. You're the one who made it appear. It fits your proportions exactly, and grapes grow on it something impossible.
So the reason this tree is alone is because your power put it here. You didn't need more than one, and this one suited you."
The Qephraï stared at Abel for a moment, then laughed loudly with a deep voice.
"HAHAHAHA!!! Well done. Now that you discovered my ability, I hope it suits you. You may assimilate me."
Abel extended his hand toward the Qephraï. The sensation during assimilation felt strange almost like he was leaving his own body. Unsure how to choose the vein the Qephraï would enter, he simply focused intensely on the one he wanted. When he opened his eyes, the Qephraï had vanished.
« I did it… good. »
Abel returned to Enette.
"I succeeded. It was much easier than you claimed. I don't even know which vein he's in though… how do I choose it exactly?"
"Pfff, you're such an amateur. You just think of it and it goes there on its own. Anyway, congratulations on your first Qephraï ability. You and I will train together to master it.
I won't show you any mercy if I have to break your face, I will. Now let's head back to Auréline, I'm exhausted."
« How is he exhausted? He didn't do anything… that guy is such an asshole. »
Enette turned around and suddenly kicked Abel in the stomach, sending him flying back two meters.
"Argh what… why?!"
"Because YOU'RE the asshole. Don't forget I'm your leader, little shit."
« Damn it… can't even think in peace… »
The unit walked for two hours and finally returned to Auréline.
"Alright kids, time to separate. Meet tomorrow at 8:55 in our room. No one be late."
« Phew… finally alone. He can't read my mind anymore, so now I can say: Enette asshole, asshole, asshole, asshole
Huh? Why is there light in my house? Are my parents finally here…?
I'm stressed… I hope they aren't ugly, since I still haven't seen myself either.
I'll look in the bathroom mirror later. And I NEED a shower… I've never felt this dirty.
Anyway… let's go in. »
Abel climbed the stairs of the building until he reached his apartment door. He inserted his key, but the door wasn't locked. He opened it, walked into the living room, and saw his parents for the first time.
"Hello… dad? Mom? I'm home."