NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 21: Fourth Form
Chapter 21: Fourth Form
After their playful role-play, which Noah knew would stay in his mind for days, Athena gently released him and took charge of their camping in the wilderness.
"It is best to keep food away from wildlife," she said.
Although her wolves had not seen any creatures yet, no one knew what could appear in these trials. Ghouls had emerged from underground with armor and weapons, so anything was possible.
Noah said, "I think it's better for us to stay up. How about I make an orb web overhead and some hammocks for us to sleep? I can hang the boxes of food and utensils up there, too. I won't be able to move, though."
"That doth not sound like a bad plan. I have never tried such a thing," Athena said, which made Noah want to test his idea even more.
Black threads shot from his robes and hooked to sturdy branches high above, lifting him near the treetops. More threads wove a large orb web over Eleonora and Athena's heads. It looked like a giant black spider had settled here.
Noah then sent his threads toward the boxes, raising them off the ground and stacking them in the corner of his new camp. He had not made hammocks yet, but just the orb web was enough for him to lie on. He could not move away from his camp, yet he could roll around on the web's surface.
Soon, Eleonora and Athena joined him. Eleonora tested the web by rocking her body a bit, trusting Noah's ability and enjoying herself. Athena lay down and gazed at the dense canopy that blocked out the sunlight.
She was in the wilderness, but she felt calm and excited. It was so different from what she had lived through as the War Goddess, which made it more precious. She smiled and closed her eyes.
Noticing her expression, Noah could not help himself. He stroked her hair and ears, whispering that she should nap and leave the rest to them. He had said she would go to sleep before him from now on, and he enforced that rule.
Though she was the mommy of this odd family, Athena did not resist. She soon fell asleep to his gentle touch. Unlike Eleonora, who slept in a fetal position, Athena sprawled on her back with her arms and legs stretched out. She looked like a wild, untamed woman who had taken over the bed, which Noah found amazing.
"She likes scratches as much as you do," Noah said, scratching Athena's ears and glancing over at Eleonora.
Eleonora chuckled and lay down too, cuddling up to Noah so he would scratch her fox ears as well. She could not sleep again because she had already napped, so she simply stared at Noah until he blushed.
To keep them warm, Noah made his robes swell into a tent. He was now rooted in one spot but had a roof and walls that held in their body heat. Eleonora conjured her small fire bubble, where a tiny fire fox danced inside, like a cozy campfire for everyone.
She took it further and told Noah they should develop Nocturne and teach it some behavior patterns. She had wanted to do that on Earth-41A but expected more challenges there. Now, with supplies and a makeshift roof over their heads, it was the perfect chance.
Noah nodded seriously, ready to learn. Seeing his resolve, Eleonora sat before him in a lotus position and lifted her index finger. She showed off her fox spirits' behavior patterns.
"It's like taming a pet," Noah commented.
"You cannot punch your Nocturne, though," Eleonora teased, her eyes on the little fire fox swirling in circles.
Athena mumbled in agreement in her sleep.
Confused, Noah tilted his head. Then it was his turn.
He summoned Nocturne from the dark tendrils on his skin. It wrapped around him before slithering between him and Eleonora, fixing its gaze on him. They locked eyes, as if communicating through thoughts.
Noah imagined the origin of Night Elves and Nocturne. Every Night Elf had been blessed by darkness, yet only Noah was truly favored by it now. He adored this element for turning his life around and aiding him in the trial.
He accepted its power from his heart and wanted to own it fully, not just be favored by it. That desire filled Nocturne's essence. It trembled, shedding its form until it became raw darkness, pliable and ready to evolve.
"Tenebris Spiders come from the treacherous abyss," Eleonora explained, referring to the spiders whose silk formed Noah's black robes. "That dark abyss is like a trial, not part of any world but part of the entire universe. It is said even the bravest refuse to enter that place. Anything born there stands atop the food chain and is truly dangerous. Taming a real creature from that abyss would raise anyone high in the universe's hierarchy."
She did not know more because of her limits. She needed more than Noah's robes to learn about that abyss, but it was enough to give him an idea.
"The adult Tenebris Spider can match an adult humanoid in size. They are apex predators that move through darkness as if it were air. Their silk can connect to shadows, and their venom turns living beings into silk. They have six round eyes, plump frames, and plush hairs all over their bodies and legs."
As he heard this, Noah tapped into Eleonora's Universal Library and felt the knowledge of Tenebris Spiders flow into him. The same knowledge poured into Nocturne, which shifted its darkness into a small, cute spider. Two bright silver eyes blinked at Noah.
His lips curved into a wide grin. Eleonora clapped her hands in delight.
"You did it, Noah!"
"Yeah!" he replied.