Despite his confinement, he experienced a sense of safety for some unexplainable reason.
The rickety wooden shack, the wary eyes of the guards, and the makeshift village nestled high among the trees all provided a barrier against the terrifying thaids that lurked outside. Still, it was a tenuous barrier at best.
The beastly nightmares that roamed the woods appeared to be a great distance away from him at that moment since they were kept at bay by the watchful eyes of the villagers.
This feeling only amplified as the night drew close, enveloping the village in a curtain of darkness. Even despite his rough surroundings, his dangerous situation, and the uncertainty that lay ahead.
Most of that was due to the fact that, for just one night, at least, he knew he was going to sleep soundly for once, as here, in the heart of the village, surrounded by watchful eyes and tall, sturdy trees, he was shielded from the dangers of the wilderness. For now, at least, he was safe.
As the day crawled by in languid strides, Erik did not attempt to escape his wooden confines. He knew the villagers were walking on thin ice; their nerves were frayed due to hunger and the dangers posed by the surrounding wilderness.
Any unexpected action on his part would set off a blaze of rage and fear among them, much like a spark would set dry tinder ablaze.
They would undoubtedly get furious if he managed to escape from the prison. Not to mention, Erik knew that once loose, he'd inevitably become the focus of a relentless manhunt. The frantic chase through the forest would pit him against an array of hostile faces, adding to the Thaids' ones. This would, in no way, help his cause; besides, there were some things he was curious about.
Furthermore, his belongings were not within his immediate grasp. Upon his arrival, the villagers took his backpack and weapon away and hid away in a location that was only known to those living there.
It would be a challenging endeavor, if not an impossible one, to retrieve them covertly while avoiding detection while doing so.
He understood that in order to prove to these individuals that he was not a threat but rather a possible ally, he would need to play the long game.
His mission was to survive, and if that meant abiding by their rules, even under constraint, so be it. Erik came to the conclusion that a day spent in captivity was a relatively minor sacrifice to make in light of the bigger picture.
However, in the solitude of his confinement, Erik immediately set his mind to move. The dark, quiet shack became a backdrop to a cerebral symphony as he initiated the intricate dance of channeling mana through the Parallel Will's neural links. He didn't merely endure the night; he turned it into an opportunity, plunging into a state of deep focus and dedication, his spirit immovable.
The method that the Biological Supercomputer developed was put to use so that he could increase the number of neural links that he already possessed and become stronger.
As the night drew on, Erik could feel the subtle but profound changes that rippled through his consciousness. He channeled his mana to increase his Force Manipulation power's neural links, every ounce of effort fueling the ability. The feeling was akin to stretching a muscle in that it was slightly uncomfortable but indicated growth.
In the midst of this mental exertion he was putting himself through, he was successful in making progress. He formed two neural links, one for Nathaniel's power and the other for the Parallel Will brain crystal power itself despite him using it to speed his training up. This was the final note that finished the symphony, and it rang through the halls of his mind like a bell.
However, he didn't spend the whole night training since he managed to increase his neural links relatively early in the night; since he was already close to a breakthrough in the past days, he went to sleep after the task was done, and he slept peacefully for once.
With the early morning light pouring through the cracks of the wooden walls, Vanessa entered the shack. The wooden door creaking jolted Erik from his sleep, drawing him back into the physical world.
"Wake up!" Vanessa yelled, her voice carrying an undercurrent of skepticism in its delivery.
Erik found himself shivering because a gust of cold wind had gotten into the shack through one of the holes in the wall. Unfortunately, the young man had to flee from the city right when summer ended and winter was coming.
He shook off the stiffness by stretching out his muscles, and his heart was beating in a rhythm that reflected the pulsating mana flowing through his body.
Even though he had a productive night of training, the rude awakening brought him back to the current situation he found himself in.
Erik responded, "Yes, yes, there is no need to shout," while his mind vibrated with the remnants of his nightly training session.
Jolted from his deep sleep, Erik blinked. His muscles groaned in protest after spending the previous night on the rough wooden floor. He slowly sat up. It was early in the morning, and the sunlight cast a silhouette around Vanessa, so his gaze couldn't meet the woman's cold eyes.
"We discussed your offer," she started, crossing her arms over her chest.
Her eyes were stern without being cruel, and she exuded an air of authority all around her.
"Regarding the matter of your...help. We are giving it some thought. However, we require evidence. Evidence that the power you claim to possess actually exists."
Erik could comprehend their demand, as the skepticism in her gaze reflected the desperate need for sustenance that the villagers had. He then said, "I see," and continued, "You want me to show you my ability to grow plants faster?"
"Exactly," Vanessa replied, "You show us, you help us, and perhaps we can reach a... mutually beneficial arrangement." Her words carried the weight of the villagers' hope and expectation, a silent plea wrapped in a veneer of hardened practicality.
"Alright," Erik said as he began pulling himself up from the shack floor, "I can show you. Lead the way."
A swift nod from Vanessa was all that was required to satisfy his need for confirmation. As Erik emerged from the dingy confines of the wooden shack, Vanessa and four other village residents accompanied him outside with their thin but not frail bodies.
They went through the canopy of intertwined branches and falling autumn leaves and crossed the network of wooden bridges that linked the treetop dwellings as they made their way through the forest.
People were climbing out of their homes and getting their hands busy with the work that needed to be done for the day as the village began to wake up.
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