chapter 21

"Now, to communicate with others, you don't have to shout the password every time. Just think about what you want to do, and the ring will follow your command," Uralic explained. "For example, try thinking about calling me in your mind."

I did as he instructed, focusing on the thought of calling him. Suddenly, a robotic voice echoed from his own ring.

"Evie the Trouble Maker wants to talk. Accept the invitation or decline?"

My eyes widened in shock. "What the—?"

Uralic chuckled, brushing a strand of his silver hair away from his face. "Oh, I forgot to change your name in my contacts before testing the call."

I shot him a look of pure disbelief. "Now I know exactly where Ashley learned to name things in such... unique ways."

My voice dripped with sarcasm, but he just laughed even harder.

To disperse the awkwardness between us, Uralic hurriedly moved on to show me more features of the ring.

"Now, let me show you how to activate the shield," he said, gesturing for me to follow his lead. "When you sense danger or anything unexpected, press the initials on the ring and say, 'Activate the shield.' Then, this will happen."

As he spoke, his ring emitted a red glow before a massive, transparent, red-glass-like barrier formed around him.

I mimicked his actions, pressing the initials on my ring and repeating the command. In an instant, I was encased in a shimmering golden bubble, just like his.

"To deactivate it, just say 'Deactivate,' and it will disappear," he instructed.

I nodded, absorbing the information.

"This shield can protect you from almost any weapon present on Earth," Uralic continued. "It will also help in extreme situations, like preventing drowning or shielding you during a high-magnitude earthquake. However, there's one downside—the shield's radius isn't large enough to cover a whole group. At most, it can protect two to three adults or about three to five children."

"On Ashlyn, this is considered the most useless feature of the ring, but I know it might come in handy for you," he added with a smirk.

"The key feature of this ring is that once it identifies its master, it will only obey their command. No matter if someone tries to snatch it or finds it, it will remain useless in their hands. So, this thing is only valuable to you and to those whom you choose to share its privileges with. If anyone tries to take it forcefully, all they'll get is a worthless piece of metal."

Hearing that, I couldn't help but feel a little relieved. At least I wouldn't have to worry about someone stealing it and misusing its powers.

He continued explaining the key features of the ring, and with every word, my amazement grew.

"With this, you can access maps, see any location, and even view live happenings in real-time. It acts as a surveillance device, allowing you to monitor places from afar."

I was stunned, holding what felt like an absolute treasure in my hand. This would be a game-changer in navigating the disastrous situation I was about to face in the coming months.

Then, he moved on to something even more fascinating.

"Now, what I consider the most useful feature for daily life is its built-in storage space," he said with a proud smile. "This was one of Ashlyn's first discoveries before the technology spread to other planets. Our people take great pride in being the pioneers of this advancement. The ring has an internal space of nearly 50 acres, where you can store anything endlessly."

His words instantly caught my attention. "This can store things inside it?" I asked eagerly.

"Yes, it does," he confirmed. "Of course, now it's considered a common feature for us, much like how smartphones are for your world. It started as a groundbreaking discovery and is now an essential, everyday tool for all Ashlyn people."

"And how do you access this space?" I asked, intrigued.

"Well, there are two ways," he explained. "The first is just like I showed you before—think about it in your mind, and a virtual image of your storage will appear in your thoughts. The second is the old-school way—command the system to show you the space, and a mini version will appear on your screen, allowing you to view and organize your stored items."

, it's not like those novels where you can enter your space and live there in dire situations." I asked in little sadness.

"Yeah, yeah, you asked me the same thing when I first introduced you to this feature." He paused before adding with a chuckle.

He smirked. "Well, not everything you imagine is something you can get. But I actually did bring up this concept to our scientists, and they are working on it. Don't worry—within your lifetime, you might just see that feature added to your ring."

Putting aside his out-of-line comments and mischievous personality, I could feel that he was a great man. A sudden wave of emotion washed over me as I looked at him with gratitude.

"Thank you for this precious gift," I said sincerely. "And thank you for sending Ashley to me. I don't remember her birth or the time I spent with her, but I can feel the connection between us."

I took a deep breath, my voice steady but filled with determination. "You don't know how big of a help you've been to me. This life has given me a second chance, and I want to live it without regrets. I could put myself in a safe place by staying here, but I want to take this chance—to be with those I lost before in this lifetime." I completed my words and the light around us, start brighten up making me shut my eyes because of its intensity.

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