The information Kali had shared was shocking to Lucas. He didn't want to be stuck here forever like Kalaini and he didn't want to make Kali suffer any more.
"Kali, how do you plan to get out of here?"
"We're going to play by the system's rules." She grinned.
'The rules of the system? Isn't that a bit strange?' Lucas thought to himself.
The system was problematic, not like in other novels he kept reading or video games he played. In those cases, it was the systems that helped you win, but in this strange place and system, Lucas had no hope of winning anything.
"Maaster Wen told me that we can get out of here as long as we don't lose each other." Kali's soft voice was again a blessing to Lucas' ears.
She seemed to know more, being kinder and more open in real life than Lucas, who spent his life online... It was easier for Kali to make friends or small talks.
The job he had was only to pay his sister's hospital and treatment bills, he never went on dates or played outside with the others. Sometimes he called Oliver, but that was also just to play buddy online.
Talking to people outside scared Lucas.
"Who's Master Wen?" Lucas asked her.
"Oh, the old little man who was here not too long ago, he's the master of this village." Kali smiled innocently, not realising that Lucas knew he'd messed up again.
'Why did I speak against him? He bit his lower lip.
"He treated me and you, it's only thanks to him that we're still alive." Kali sounded grateful towards this old man, while Lucas was again in deep despair.
'Why was I rude to him again?' The guilt came from within again.
He regretted his decision again. He was impulsive and played a lot of video games that made him angry a little more often than usual.
Every time his team lost, he smashed the game console and vented on the internet.
But that was also due to the stress he was under at home. He had a part-time job and it wasn't easy to keep up his grades, but his video game addiction was another level.
"Did he cure me too?" Lucas raised his head and asked Kali in a guilty tone.
"Yes, silly, you too." She sighed. "Now let's go through the village." She smiled.
Again Kali spoke excitedly, while Lucas wondered, 'how? when I can't even stand?' He looked at the open door.
"I know you're asking how, but I thought of that before you did." She spoke in front of Lucas.
She walked out through the door everyone was coming out of. 'Where did she go?" he thought, feeling uneasy about being left alone in a strange place.
He heard a lot of noise through the door and it seemed lively. The sun was shining brightly like a summer morning when there was no school and it was the most beautiful morning in the world
A small shining ray blessed Luca's cheek and blocked his view of the exit. 'So bright.' He put his hand on his forehead to stop the sun from hitting his eyes. A shadow appeared, shedding feathers from his hair and blocking his view of the bright sunlight.
"Tadaam," Kali spoke excitedly as she brought a strange looking raptile to this place. From a distance, it looked like a large chameleon, but if you looked closely, it had six feet instead of four.
Its head was very small and it had two protruding tongues that scared Lucas.
"Yuck, Kali, what's that?" He felt disgusted when he saw such a strange creature next to Kali.
In Lucas's eyes it looked scary and aggressive, and that made him a bit nervous.
"What do you mean? That's Toburo!" She replied and stepped closer to him, stroking his head. "There you go, aren't you a cutie?" She spoke to the creature, looking at it happily.
"Kali, don't touch it! It could be poisonous!" Luca's forehead looked like a fountain of water. The sudden heat he felt made him sweat like dripping water.
Kali stopped stroking him and leaned back, then returned Lucas's comment, "The only poisonous thing here id you, Lucas, now get up and let's go." Her tone changed quickly, she sounded offended.
This brought Lucas back, he sensed something was wrong with Kali, but it couldn't be this strange looking raptile, it wasn't even green, it was dark red
"Kali..." He paused and sighed, "Why did you bring that thing here?" He asked her, not realising that it offended Kali "That thing? Didn't I tell you it was called Toburo? And he'll be your legs for now." She grinned through her teeth, she thought Lucas was feeling ungrateful again. He was sometimes insulting, but insulting such a lovely creature, Kali couldn't let that pass.
Even though Kali looked innocent and friendly, she had strange habits. She liked weird animals, especially the unique ones. Even though she'd turned herself into a lizard, that didn't stop her from liking this friendly creature.
It reminded her of her dog at home, he was cute and friendly, so it was annoying to hear such bad words about her new friend from Lucas's mouth.
"What do you mean he's going to be my legs?" A chill ran through Lucas's stomach, he felt disgusted.
"He will take you to places, so that you won't need to walk, duuh." She rolled her eyes, Lucas was getting on her nerves.
"Must you do this? I'd rather walk." Lucas pursed his lips.
"Yes, his skin is healing, that should help you, now stop acting like a little baby and let us go." She would have liked to hit him.
Lucas had no intention of making Kali angry, but this creature was just too disgusting in his eyes at the moment. 'My life is unbearable.' He sighed and spoke softly so Kali could not hear him.
This strange raptile took a wide leap and it was already beside Lucas's bed, it had rather dark and shiny eyes, but its face was repugnant to Lucas.
'Grug, grug,' it made a strange noise, almost like a 'woof' like a dog. 'Is he coming to greet me?' Lucas was shocked, this thing looked more intelligent than he thought.
"He gave you permission to climb on him." Kali replied from a distance.
"Okay, Thing... I am going to slowly climb on your back now." Lucas spoke slowly.
He carefully touched his neck, it was a little scaly but not as gross as he thought it would be. Lucas lifted his right foot and placed it on his back then shifted the weight of his body onto his foot "Damn, that hurts." he moaned holding onto his neck and pulling himself onto this creature.
He felt as if he was riding a pig, but this thing was twice as big.
He was lying on it instead of sitting on it, "what do I do now?"
"Lucas, relax... You look like a rocket." Kali slapped herself in the face.
"What does that even mean?" He asked her.
"Sit properly, you're embarrassing Toburo," she replied. Lucas looked too funny in her eyes, she wanted to laugh but she didn't want to hurt his feelings. "Tell Toburo!" She shouted.
'Toburo? Why would I say that? Okay.'
"Toburo!" He shouted, and the creature sat down.
Luca's body automatically leaned back and he'd changed his position. "Now say Toburo again!" Called Kali.
Lucas called out without thinking too much "Toburo" again and the thing straightened up and now Lucas was in a perfect position to ride on it.
"Here you're, now let's explore the village." Kali was done making fun of him.