Once the action plan crystalized I put to work immediately.

  First I opened up the ability selection looking for an ability with electricity or lightning in the description or name. There were a few that had these mentioned but only one that suited my needs.

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  Charged Shock

  Release a powerful electric shock from your hand. On contact expend 5 aether per second of maintained charge.

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  I select it and test it out for a second.

  Power charged to 31%... Progress it works.

  I then put 1 Stat point into Soul and 1 into Body. I can immediately tell the difference. My thought processes don't feel as rigid now and Molly weighs less heavy on my back.

  I spend 200 Aether of my new capacity to charge my batteries to 70% charge. With my Aether down to 100/300 I had stop because of a slight dizziness. I don't want to risk passing out again with Molly on my back. That done I check my new status.

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  Menu

  Status

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  Body: 4

  Mind: 6

  Soul: 3

  Stat points: 0

  Abilities known: Healing Light, Charged Shock

  Aether 100/300

  Recovery 1 per 20 seconds

  Currency: 10

  System Shop...

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  Everything appears to be in order. I close the menu. I walk in silence for 30 minutes according to my internal clock charging up more when I can.

  Eventually Molly stirs on my back. Yawning she wipes the sleep from her eyes.

  "What happened?", she asks.

  I briefly recount the events as they happened. Although I skim over the finding the bones underneath the moss. She doesn't need to hear about that. No need to give her nightmares.

  It's interesting. Thirty minutes ago ,before I assigned a stat point into Soul,I would have been compelled to tell her the whole story.

  Molly is fine after the ordeal with the fairies. In fact she seems to be more energetic after a long rest. Soon she Is off my back and running around. I keep track of her with my eyes making sure she doesn't get in trouble.

  As we walk Molly start up a game of Eye Spy with me, although most of objects of our game are trees and bushes. Then the objects change to grass and sky as we enter grasslands. Tall grass sways in breeze and is almost hypnotic in its patterns.

  Our game continues on with Molly calling out different things but after a while it gets repetitive. Soon however Molly calls out something new.

  "I spy with my little eye something brown."

  "Is it the ground?" I reply.

  "No."

  "Is it the grass?" I guess.

  The grass around us has been looking a little brownish lately.

  "No,guess again." She giggles.

  "Is it the bark of that tree over there?"

  "No, it's that furry thing over there." She points at it.

  And then I see it. The biggest rat I have ever seen. Two feet high and 3 feet long with sharp razor edge incisors and long nails on its feet.

  Its fur is matted and its piercing red eyes turn to us. It snout sniffs the air. I interpose myself between it and Molly as I raise my club. It charges as us and I bring the club down onto its skull. It lets out a death scream and keels over.

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  Experience earned...

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  Then we both hear it as something brown and much bigger answers it.