Chapter 106 - A Fortuitous, Or An Unfortunate Encounter
Without further delay the system shoots out two balls, that in the next second disrupt the space around them. The ship disappearing, and the wendigos flying into the disruption all disappear from that area of space before reappearing elsewhere. Seeing the teleportation worked without a hitch, and they are alive, Rei releases a sigh of relief before checking the holographic screen before him.
Looking back at the holographic screen before him, he checks in all directions really quickly to know which way he is going, and to see if there are any more threats lingering around, saying. Not seeing anything hostile, he says. "Scan our surroundings, and continue mapping."
"Scanning surroundings. ... Warning, we have just teleported to anther part of the same solar system, just now we are closer to the sun. The Wendigos are a distance behind us. Should they notice us, I am not certain we will escape this time." The system warns Rei.
A few seconds later, it continues. "Warning the Wendigos are launching projectiles, evasive maneuvers in progress." She says as the ship begins barrel rolling to the left side and flying at full speed once more.
At this point, Rei tries thinking quickly, voicing his only solution. "Fly towards the sun, as close as we can get before activating stealth. While you activate stealth, fly around the sun, preparing another teleportation jump, preferably in another solar system."
"Setting destination and maneuvers now. By the way, if you want to escape, shall I do a short burst to further the distance between us, to make it more difficult for them to follow?"
Hearing this proposal, he replies. "We are putting everything on the line anyway, do it."
"Understood, storing up energy, and releasing percussion bombs. Increasing shielding, and we are launching now." The system gives a run down, releasing percussion bombs to increase their speed, the shielding to protect from damage taken, and last but not least putting the engines in overdrive temporarily.
Propelling themselves through space at a pace so fast, not even the system could control the direction should they want to change it. A few seconds later, as the ship starts slowing bit by bit from hitting asteroids without taking any damage, Rei notices they are getting too close to the sun.
Feeling the heat even inside the ship, Rei knew it would be bad to wait any longer, and since they cannot turn he says. "System, forget the old plan teleport us now and release a thermal explosion from the rear."
"Teleporting now, also the ships energy field can only last a few seconds longer in these conditions." The system warns.
Rei quickly comments as the ship is teleporting. "We are leaving anyways, why bother mentioning it?"
However to reply back, she (the system) answers. "It is permanent damage. We need repairs if we are to begin deep space travel."
In a disappointed voice. "Seriously, this is why I do not pilot ships. I am not trained for such strategic maneuvering." Finishing his sentence, the ship disappears, reappearing elsewhere.
Meanwhile, from the wendigos point of view, just as it disappeared, the thermal bomb went off. And seeing this, they laugh bitterly for two reasons. The first being that their prey was stupid enough to fly into the sun killing themselves, however for the second reason, they just lost their meals for a while, and now have to search for new prey.
However back at the ship, without wasting time like last time, and feeling relief without checking first, Rei asks. "Status report, Surroundings report, and anything else that needs mentioning."
The system quickly replies. "Status, energy field down to 20%, because the generator got damaged from being to close to the sun. Surroundings, we have left the previous solar system, however it seems much different from any places in my database. Nothing else to report."
Hearing the current situation, Rei immediately asks. "What do you mean different?"
"Well, there are living people and residences even on asteroids with no atmosphere. The beings residing on them, appear to be human, however every living being scanned so far seems much stronger than anyone on board except the male in ice on board. Well, that is of course, not counting their children and infants. They also seem to produce a similar yet variation of the energy produced by the male in ice, and the lich on board currently." The system answers.
"You mean to say they are likely cultivators right?" Rei asks.
However before answering his question, the system says. "Warning, a powerful being is approaching, even more powerful than the young man in ice on board. Also, to answer your question, Yes, that is the hypothesis."
Hearing this, Rei orders the system. "Resound my voice outside the ship, and open release hatch number 1, for the person to enter."
"Are you sure, they may not be emitting hostile intent, but they might not be friendly either?"
"Just do it."
"Your voice will now be produced outside the ship. Also, the hatch is now open."
"Hello, I am Rei, please come inside the open hatch, that we may talk further." Rei says before flipping a switch to his right turning off the voice relay device.
Outside the ship, the man who appears to be nearing his middle aged years, tilts his head before continuing to move forward towards the ship. Just flying through the space, he eventually arrives inside the room that he saw open.
Once inside, the hatch closes behind him, then breathable air fills the room. A few moments later, Rei opens the door leading to the room, creating a momentary small vacuum. Walking in, the man who appears to be around 34 says with a slight smirk. "It is not very polite to keep one waiting when you invite them over you know."
Rei just shakes his head a little before saying. "It is also rude not to introduce ones self when the other already has."
Hearing this the man laughs a little, and then closes the distance between them producing two chairs. A moment later he takes a seat, and Rei follows suit. Then the man begins talking. "You seem very weak, where have you come from?"
Still not getting a name, or information to work with from this stranger Rei says. "I presume you are a cultivator, as my king and a few others on board this vessel are such as well. You see, we were chased by millennia old wendigos and had to teleport away, thus we are temporarily lost. However, you sir still have not given me a name to work with."
The mans smiling face quickly turns sour upon hearing of the wendigos, and says. "Just call me Patriarch Shin. Anyways, where are these wendigos you spoke of? Know that should you speak any lies I will kill you. Also, it is difficult to believe that you could escape such powerful creatures." Thus glaring at Rei, the man awaits an answer.
Feeling pressured, Rei still answers with the safety of those on board in mind. "Patriarch Shin, if you want the coordinates, or mapping, that is not a problem, however we cannot go back there unless you are certain you could defeat them."
Patriarch Shin, surprised that this young man was not giving in even due to the pressure, releases a bit more before saying. "I am sure it is not that bad, bring me there and I will deal with them." He says, while not believing they could be as powerful or old as they claimed, considering the one before him is only a few decades old, and not that strong. However there are a few being older on board, it is still difficult to believe such stories, when wendigos are rare even in this place.
However not giving into the pressure, yet feeling worried for his friends Rei says. "I will not take you there. There is a whole clan of them, and there were at least ten chasing us. If not for our king risking his life, we all would have been their meals for the foreseeable future."
Seeing that Rei is not giving in, the man says. "Fine, we can deal with this later. Although, I can sense someone frozen in ice, what happened to him? His body seems to be unstable, and quickly destabilizing. Regardless, the ice is slowing the process, so good work there I guess."
Hearing his question, Rei mumbles. "Cultivators, of course he would know." Then he answers. "That is our king, he has special abilities. One such being that he can use his own life force to make the impossible possible. Also, he was the one who saved all 6,031 or so of us."
Listening intently, the patriarch quickly stands up exclaiming. "Impossible!!"
However Rei could not help but chuckle at his reaction, causing the man to ask with an annoyed tone. "What is so funny?"
Rei shakes his head saying. "Is it not the whole concept of cultivation to make the impossible possible? I mean seriously, our king is a prodigy, but even that is a criticism to his talent, and capabilities."
Listening to such praises, yet only half believing it, the man says. "Show me to him. I want to see for myself who could be so heaven defying."
Laughing, because cultivation in itself is normally claimed as such, it was funny to hear a cultivator say this. Thus Rei gets up, and walks towards the door. Looking back, and seeing the man still in place, he asks. "Are you coming with me or not?"