[Energy levels 1%. Initiating AI restoration.]
[Standby]
Kothar lay back, finally, he would be whole again. He had spent so much of his life with Silane, her absence had been deafening. Even though he had been raised in a lab with virtually no friends or family. Silane had been both, and more. She had known his every thought, it wasn't possible for someone to know him more intimately.
While most of the scientists had regarded Silane as mere simulation of an intelligence, Kothar knew better, the time he had spent with her and the fact that she had reincarnated together with him, made him only more certain that she was an individual. A cool feeling, like a cool stream of water, rushed through Kothar's body.
[Well, well, well, what have you done to yourself Kothar?]
[Silane! You're awake! Finally, you have no idea how much I've missed you.]
[Hmm, this sure is a strange afterlife, you've become emotional, and from what knowledge I've gleaned from your mind, we're in some strange fantasy land]
[Hahaha, and you've got yourself an attitude, huh Silane?]
[I guess you are right there Sir.]
[No need for that, no honorifics, if I'm correct then we're one and the same from now.]
[Well… Okay Kothar. Now then, I leave you alone for one minute and you've already banged up your arm.]
[No worries Silane, you know as well as I do that my body is easily replaceable.]
[Hmmm, you're right. Kothar, it appears that I also have some control over this energy that this world calls mana.]
[Fantastic. If you can cast spells as well, it'll be as if we are two mages in one body.]
[Unfortunately not Kothar, I'm not able to control your body as of this moment, but I can use the pure mana you draw in as a rudimentary environmental sensor.]
[Hmmm, maybe when my mana levels increase, you'll have more capabilities.]
[Sure. Wouldn't you have been glad for my sensing capabilities a week ago, then you wouldn't have crippled yourself like a fool.]
[Alright Silane, enough ribbing. Help me go over these blueprints]
Kothar reached towards his pack, but Silane interrupted him.
[Come on, no need for such archaic methods]
Kothar vision was suddenly overlaid with a glowing 3 dimensional grid of blue lines, within it two glowing structures appeared, the first, his design for the Mana-Sensing Lens, the second, the complete blueprint for his arm upgrade.
[I daresay Kothar, you've actually done quite well designing these on your own.]
[Well Silane, you were still helping my memory and engineering skills, even when asleep.]
[Take some credit won't you.]
[Of course, why don't we head back to Trinquile, and get started on that mana sensing lens.]
[Let's go.]
The journey back to Trinquile was much less hazardous, Silane constantly tested out her new sensing abilities, keeping Kothar updated on the environment. Occasionally, she would even overlay his vision with things she had detected, such as a rabbit hiding in a hollow, or a camouflaged Cave Lion. On their way back, Kothar filled Silane in on all that had happened.
Of course, she knew the specific details of all the things that had happened so far, but the pair had developed a habit of debriefing with each other, helping Kothar ease his mind and allowing the both of them to better analyze the situation.
[Wow, you really lucked out with those parents. Both of them seem to be powerful in their own right. Tam seems to be a talented warrior, and Ophil a skilled mage.]
[Of course, unfortunately I don't know their specific strengths, and I'm unaware of the political situation they're embroiled in. I want to help them.]
[Look at you Kothar, so filial, this world has changed you hasn't it. You were always a loyal one, but to the alliance.]
[I know Silane, but I think I've been changed for the better. Now I know the value of family, loyal to each other, no matter what.]
[Kothar, I think we need a standardized way of assessing battle potential. From what we know, there are four ranks common to all professions: Novice, Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced. We lack information on what they mean, but from the hints you gathered from Simon, they are based on an individual's capacity to impact the battlefield. We need to know more.]
[Guess it's time for us to go to class, Silane, should bring back fun memories of the lab.]
[No uploading information directly to my chip here Kothar.]
The pair shared a silent laugh as Kothar sped across the rocky terrain. Silane overlaid a glowing silhouette onto Kothar's vision, it was a Cave Lion, hunched behind a cluster of rocks that overlooked a dried up riverbed. The surface of the riverbed was pockmarked with tracks from various animals.
[That pelt will bring us a fair amount of gold, and you'll need it for our upgrades.]
[Of course Silane, now give an approach vector.]
[Done.]
Silane lay out a path for Kothar to take, keeping him downwind of the Cave Lion the entire time, he would easily be able to sneak up on it, eliminating the need for drawn out combat.
[I recommend a blast of lightning from that fancy new sword of yours, you really took to the culture here, didn't you?]
[Alright Silane, it's a Bolt Spell, you need to become familiar with magic also.]
[I know, I know, just testing out this new found attitude of mine.]
By now Kothar was perched on the slope above the Cave Lion, he silently drew his sword, aiming the tip at the base of the Cave Lion's neck. The blade hummed as the spell charged up. The lion turned its head, but it was too late, a loud crack resounded across the clearing, and the lion fell to the ground, lifeless. A large black scorch mark at the base of its skull.
[Wow, hmmm, I wonder if we can enhance the long range capabilities of that spell, it shouldn't be too difficult.]
[So quick to adjust Silane, as always.]
[Right back at you Kothar.]
The pair of them continued to banter as Kothar made short work of the Cave Lion, easily skinning it, slinging the pelt across his back, Kothar continued onwards to Trinquile. The all to familar blackbird flitted along behind them, with even Silane failing to detect it.