Entitled to One's Dream Part II - [ Arc 1 : Flincrat's Oasis ]

Ryan spun around, his breath catching in his throat as he laid eyes on Elen. This time, she had undergone yet another transformation. Now triangular attachments on her back, once smooth and compact, now seemed primed to extend, resembling glider wings waiting to unfurl.

One of her arms had been replaced by a sleek, razor-thin blade—too slender to be a sword, yet too short to be a true spear, though its formidable length was nothing to scoff at. Her other arm had shifted as well; instead of the jagged, serrated claws she once bore, she now had a grappling appendage, metallic fingers curled like a mechanical predator ready to strike.

Elen's legs had thickened, their structure suggesting they were built for climbing or scaling rough terrain. Small, fine spines—reminiscent of the sensory hairs on a spider's legs—lined her lower limbs.

Her torso, while still humanoid in shape, had undergone a full color shift, her once metallic sheen now coated in a deep, forest-green hue.

But most unsettling of all was her eye. That ever-watchful, unblinking gaze, once glowing in shades of orange and red, now pulsed with an eerie purple light.

"Jeez!" Ryan yelped, staggering back slightly. "You can't just sneak up on people like that!"

Then, he quickly corrected himself, adding, "And when I say 'people,' I mean me!"

Elain let out a sharp, questioning creak.

"Apologies, Human," Elen intoned, her voice as monotone as ever.

...Twenty Minutes Later...

Ryan let out a heavy sigh, running a hand through his hair. "And that's the gist of the situation," he said, finally wrapping up his long-winded explanation.

Elen remained silent for a moment before she chipped and stated, "If thou wishes, I can glide you over to the Oasis."

Ryan blinked. "Glide? How?"

Without another word, Elen's triangular back attachments expanded with a mechanical whirr, unfolding into two full-fledged wings with an impressive wingspan.

Ryan felt a cold bead of sweat trickle down his cheek. "I, uh… actually never thought of that."

Elain let out a curious creak.

Ryan quickly straightened up and cleared his throat. "Ahem! But my main focus was returning the Primorax to their habitat," he stated, feigning confidence.

Elain tilted her head. "Interruption, Human. Did you not previously claim your goal was to reach the Oasis for sustainable edible options?" she questioned.

Ryan coughed awkwardly. "Aheemmmm!!" He waved a hand dismissively. "Anyway! You go on ahead. We'll meet you at the Oasis."

His thoughts, however, painted a different picture.How the hell can I put my life in the hands of something that's died twice before my very eyes? Unlike Elen, I'd rather die by the failure of my own hands…

"Agreed," Elen said simply. Without hesitation, she turned and walked toward the shattered window. Then, with a powerful leap, she exited the Elenatia, scaling the ship's exterior with ease, gaining height before she took off.

Ryan clicked his tongue. "Show-off," he muttered before shifting his attention to the Drilvoks.

"Alright, let's go too," he said, stepping toward the group of creatures. "Get in."

..Five Minutes Later..

Ryan stood, arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently. The Drilvoks remained where they were, staring at him with blank, uncomprehending expressions.

Ryan groaned. "What do you want me to do?" he grumbled. "They won't listen—or, more like, they can't understand me."

He slumped onto the floor, resting his back against the wall. One knee was bent, and he draped an arm over it, sighing in frustration. "I even tried talking like them," he muttered.

Elain let out a small creak. "Why not use a 'reward' system?" she suggested. "However, with our limited resources, we should instead attempt the 'example' system."

Ryan blinked. Then, slowly, a grin spread across his face. "That… might actually work."

He pushed himself up and cleared his throat before yelling, "HEY!"

The Drilvoks instantly snapped to attention, all eyes on him.

Ryan grabbed one of the smaller Drilvoks and gently placed it inside the sled he had built. He patted its head reassuringly before lifting it back out. Then, with calculated precision, he picked up a long steel rod and slammed it into the ground mere inches from the Drilvok's foot.

The watching Drilvoks froze. A tense silence settled over the group. Then, as if understanding the unspoken message, they all scrambled into the sled at once.

Ryan turned to Elain, a smug grin stretching across his face.

With the window too small for their exit, Ryan positioned himself at the front of the Elenatia. He handed the sled's rope to a Drilvok and, through a series of gestures, instructed them to pull.

A handful of Drilvoks took the lead. At first, the sled creaked and groaned as it barely budged. But after a few moments, the creatures found their rhythm, heaving in synchronized efforts. The sled lurched forward, picking up speed with each successive pull.

And just like that, they were moving—gliding across the golden dunes, heading straight for the Oasis?