As I scan outward I notice more and more bumps underneath the moss, and the true horror of what I am seeing registers.
I rush back to Molly and try to shake her awake. She doesn't respond. She's still breathing but slowly, as in a deep slumber. I have to get her out of here.
I start trying to maneuver her onto my shoulder when something rams into my face knocking me back and making me lose my balance.
Tipping over, I fall next to what I can clearly see is a skeleton now. A swarm of the little humanoids gathering above. They attack in unison like a swarm of insects, as my data centers are reclassifying them as such.
I try to swat them away with my hands but are too fast and nimble, dive-bombing me the retreating beyond my reach. Their attacks do little damage except to keep me off balance.
My hands brushes against something long and hefty. It turns out to be a club left behind after its original owner lied down and didn't get up again. I grab and swing it knocking two of them out of the air, They crash down as get in my first solid hit this fight. I keep swinging getting in some solid thwacks as fight my way back to Molly's side. With one arm, I hoist her onto my shoulder ,the other arm occupied fending of the insect fairies. It's a slog but I eventually half carry, half drag Molly out of there. Along the way when the insect fairies finally stop pursuing I readjust Molly into a better position on my back. Molly stirs a little on my back. Good whatever those insects did is not permanent. I continue hiking trying to get as far away from there as possible.
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Notifications sound off on my secondary HUD.
Experience earned...
Experience earned...
Level up...
+1 Stat point
Experience earned...
Experience earned...
Level up...
+1 Stat point
New ability available for selection...
Currency+10
That is all well and good but what concerns me more is what is flashing on my main HUD.
Power at 30%...
Find charging station soon... That's a problem.
If I run out of power who will take care of Molly. Her probability of survival decreases if left alone. It goes against my prime directive. Protect and watch over Molly. It's unacceptable. I must find a solution.
I look down at my charging port located on my right hip. It is a node that plugs into a battery charging port. I mainly run on DC to power. Where am I going to find DC power around here.
My probability algorithms start running scenarios, my CPU turns at it searches my databanks.
Sources of DC power... Battery stations, Power Stations, Generators, Lightning.
No battery stations, Power Stations or generators nearby.
Lightning...No storms in sight.
Eventually my mind shifts to my secondary HUD.
I open up my secondary HUD, after all I found the solution to the first problem I came across in there last time and I have many new notifications to go through.
Gradually an action plan takes shape.
