The fox can talk?
Wow… don't I have a penchant for nonsense.
"Answer me mortal!", growled the fox in a deep terrifying voice, although it's body language was adorable.
The fox hit the ground with its paw as it demanded my obedient response.
"I am not", I replied, trying not to laugh at the cute snow-white fox with a voice too deep for its body.
"You lie! What is that thing on the ground that you were carrying! It stinks of dark power!"
The fox furiously slammed its paw into the ground repeatedly, demanding an answer whilst growling at me.
It was truly adorable.
"That orb?", I say, pointing in the direction I left it.
"YES! ANSWER ME MORTAL!", it was losing its patience quickly.
"Okay okay! I found it a while back and have been carrying it since. The creatures like that thing mostly ignore me when I'm carrying it. Makes travelling easier."
"So, you are not one of them?", the fox tilted it's head adorably as its deep voice questioned.
"NO OF COURSE NOT! I mean I don't look anything like them, do I?", I gesture towards the deer corpse as I say this. It is truly an ugly creature and asking if I'm one of them is truly insulting.
The fox looked back and forth between me and the deer and seemingly agreed. It even seems a bit taken aback by its own accusatory questions against me.
"What are you?" it asked.
After a moment of consideration as to why it was asking me that I remembered there aren't a lot of my kind around anymore, so I answered, "A human."
"A mortal human? This is a new discovery for me. What is a human? And how are you not corrupted?"
"Um… well a human is my species… we all somewhat look like this… although I could be the last human alive. As for how I'm not corrupted that's because I think I'm immune."
"Immune? To the corruption?"
"Yeah."
"How?"
"How the fuck would I know?"
That stumped the little demanding being for a moment. My response was genuine. If it did not know how I was immune, then how would the human know?
Whilst the fox contemplated the matter I spoke up, "Your asking me a lot of questions so I assume you wouldn't mind if I asked a few of my own?"
"WHAT!?"
It didn't like that.
"HOW DARE A LOWLY MORTAL ASSUME IT COULD QUESTION THE DIVINE!"
So, it's divine? This puny thing?
The fox was truly enraged by my question and looked about ready to fight so I figured I ought to put it in its place.
With an explosive burst of flaming mana, I invoked a devastating aura of fire around me, turn the heat up on my sword and summoning five [Plasma Arrows] to intimidate the little shit.
It seemed to do the trick as the fox's eyes went wide, and it took a few steps back.
I reined in the flames and dissipated the heat, returning to my more casual look. That used quite a bit of mana, but it doesn't need to know that.
This conversation wasn't going to go anywhere if the fox kept looking down on me.
"And?", I asked, a truly smug grin plastering on my face.
"I suppose… I can grace this lowly mortal human with my presence a little longer…"
"Excellent" I respond, ignoring its backhanded comment. "Now, what exactly are you?"
Stifled somewhat the fox reluctantly answered, "I am a [Divine Fox] and the guardian deity of this mountain."
So, it's really a god? This puny weak thing?
"Is that so? Alright. Your turn to ask a question." The fox looked puzzled at that, but I figure if this thing is truly some kind of God, then a good relationship with it would be best. Also, it's the first sentient creature I've met that isn't cursed.
After a few moments to collect itself the fox straightened up, now understanding how the conversation was going to operate.
"Very well then", it was now speaking in as grand and majestic voice it could manage.
It was truly adorable.
"Tell me more about this… orb."
That wasn't exactly a question, but I'll run with it.
"I found the orb in the continent Auralia a few months ago. It had corrupted the land around it, turning everything purple. I purified the entire area and took the orb with me. I couldn't destroy it, and I wasn't sure about eating it so I took it with me. Turns out it helps me blend in with the dark creatures."
"Eat it!?", the fox looked bamboozled.
"Hey, it's my turn to ask a question." It was taken aback by my statement, but I ignored it.
"Have you always been the guardian of this mountain? Because I don't remember there being a divine guardian anywhere around before the creatures invaded."
It contemplated my question for a bit before deciding how to answer. Maybe it thought it was common knowledge, and this was an odd question.
"I have not always been the guardian of this mountain. You didn't exactly ask this, but I will tell you anyhow. I was born here as a counteractive force to the corruption as a means to balance this world's energy."
Balance? Energy? Seems like there is more to all this than I originally realised. If this fox is a counterforce to the corruption, then we're on the same side. I really should befriend it.
"My turn. What do you mean eat it?"
This fox seems pretty earnest. I'll be honest with it.
"I have a karma skill which allows me to eat corrupted creatures. It's how I've survived in the wilderness, given how little else there is available to eat. I've been considering if eating the orb, which appears to be concentrated corruption, would kill me or benefit me."
The fox was utterly disgusted my claims. "You eat those things!?" It looked towards the deer and back to me over and over again.
"HEY! I never said they taste good! I just have to do it to survive!" No need to tell it about the attributes part.
The fox looked physically pained at the thought and even seemed sympathetic towards my suffering. High and mighty bastard.
"Moving on. The mountains snow is glowing. Is the mountain itself divine as well?"
"Somewhat. Since this mountain is my domain, it absorbs some of my divinity to reflect my majesty. In other words, I made it a divine mountain."
Yeah right. That's interesting, I guess.
"You said you've been surviving in the wilderness. Tell me more."
Once again that isn't an actual question but whatever. What do I tell it though. How about everything.
"Well, I used to be a professional soccer player before I died during a match. Then I waged war against countless grim reapers who wanted to reap me. Then I made a deal with a goddess that allowed me to return to this world on the condition that I fight the corruption. Since coming back I've been killing creatures, exploring, growing stronger and searching for more of my kind. Does that answer your statement?"
The fox's jaw was literally slack as it stared at me.
If I had to guess, this little foxy can tell if I'm lying or telling the truth. "So, you can detect lies".
The fox almost jumped at the statement, "WHAT! No!"
Bingo. My grin reflect that I didn't believe it. Either way it doesn't matter though. This little god now knows that I am here on a mission from a goddess to fight the corruption. Therefore, making an ally of it shouldn't be too hard.
"Hey fox. Wanna team up?"
The fox was confused by my question, but I could see its mind work as it considered the pros and cons. Frankly working with a mortal in service of a goddess wasn't going to cause any problems for it. And this mortal is powerful.
"Very well. I will work with you mortal."
"Excellent. Do you have a name? It will be difficult to work together if I don't know what to call you."
"Humph. I am too young to know my name yet."
"Ahhhhhhh right… then I will call you Snow for the time being."
"WHAT! ARE YOU INSANE! WHAT RIGH…"
The fox's anger was cut off as it started to glow a bright divine light. The light encompassed everything around it, blinding me entirely.
The light lasted for only a few moments and once it faded only an extremely pissed off Snow remained.
"What was that?"
"YOU NAMED ME!"
"Yeah?"
"HOW DARE YOU! YOU LOWLY MORTAL SCUM DARES TO NAME A GOD! THE BOUNDS OF YOUR ARROGANCE STRETCH BEYOND EVERY HORIZON YOU FOOL!"
I wasn't sure how to react to the little fox's anger because I simply had no idea why giving it a temporary name was so bad.
Only it turns out it wasn't so temporary.
[Soul Manifest]
[The universe has recognised the individual Snow as your ally]
[Soul Link Activated]
[Soul Link Manifest]
[Connection Strength: Weak]
[Name: Snow]
[Race: Fox (Divine)]
[Constitution: Beast]
[Soul Level: 21]
[Mana: 3 450]
[Intelligence: 243]
[Physical Level: 9]
[Strength: 43]
[Agility: 987]
[Stamina: 224]
[Divinity: Pure]
[Karma]
[Linked Protectors Presence: You gain from the presence of the protector]
[Martial Affinity: None]
[Spells: Claw, Haste]
[Claw (Mastery 3): allows the user to produce a streak of forward moving slashes. This spell costs 300 mana]
[Haste (Mastery 4): allows the user to increase their speed by 10 % for 10 seconds. Costs 100 mana.]
[Abilities: Divine Totem, Divine Blessing, Beast Cadence]
[Divine Totem: your totems mark the bounds of your territory. Within your territory you are empowered by the divinity which passively gathers in your territory.]
[Divine Blessing: you are a God. Your blessing enhances the senses of your connected.]
[Beast Cadence: enhances your senses beyond normal bounds.]
Oh…
OH! FUCK!
Did I just link myself with this fox! AND I CALLED IT SNOW! IS THAT PERMANENT! I MEANT IT MORE LIKE A JOKE!
[Soul Manifest]
[Name: Rey Stein]
[Divinity: Minor]
[Abilities: Spark, Soul Manifest, Soul Archive, Soul Link]
[Soul Link: creates a link between you and your allies. Your allies gain from their connection to you as you gain from your connection to them.]
[Links: Snow]
[Snow: Your connection to individual Snow gives you minor benefits from the abilities [Divine Totem], [Divine Blessing], and [Beast Cadence]].
I could feel the change in my soul as the effect of Snow's abilities changed my senses. I could hear better. Smell better. My instincts felt sharper. I could also feel the minor affinity to divinity caressing my very being.
Why did this happen.
"How can this be happening." I looked at Snow to see him covering his eyes with his paws.
Still adorable.
"How can a lowly mortal name a God. It shouldn't be possible."
"Maybe because I'm stronger than you." That being said, despite Snow's low level his stats are extreme.
Snow looked at me with pure fire in his eyes. I could feel his anger so clearly. Is this an effect of [Beast Cadence].
"Well, it wasn't intentional, but I guess we are officially allies in more ways than one. Can you explain this whole naming thing for me? Just so I don't do it again on accident."
"HA! If this was something that could so easily be done on accident, then the universe would fall apart!"
"Well, that seems a bit extreme don't you think?"
"Hardly. The naming of a God is supposed to be something that only the All Mother's can do. It's impossible for another being to do it. Not even God's can! AND YET YOU DID JUST THAT!"
…
"All Mother's?"
"Basically, my parents. Gods come from somewhere you know."
Huh. I suppose that makes sense.
"So this shouldn't have been possible?"
"No, it shouldn't have. But yet it has. And without a doubt it only happened because the All Mother's sanctioned it."
"I don't know much about these All Mother's but I'm guessing it's safe to assume this is permanent then."
"You bet it is. Not even I, or any other god, could change that."
…
"Well… in that case. Welcome aboard shipmate." I stretched my hand to the little fox now named Snow with a broad smile as a gesture of good will.
He was still pretty pissed though and hit my hand with [Claw].