The Systems Challenge

A/N: I've been getting a bit of a block lately on where to take this story in regards to getting to the boss for the dungeon crawl, so while I work on that, I was planning on some back stories for the characters present. This should take up a few chapters and I hope to get through the writer's block I have at the moment so I can get this moving again. The back stories aren't expected to affect the main story, but it could give me ideas. Anyway, thanks for all of those who have been reading up to this point.

Kim groaned as she began to become aware of her surroundings. While her eyes were still closed, she didn't feel like she was laying against anything, but there wasn't anything that felt like she was being carried. It also felt like she was somehow moving, but couldn't figure out how. Part of her wondered if she'd died somehow, yet she dismissed that notion almost immediately, given she hurt too much to be dead.

Although, she couldn't say what her situation was, since she had no idea how long she'd been unconscious. She could be the last one of her team left alive and held captive by the goblins for all she knew.

She slowly opened her eyes in the event she was around creatures that were hostile. She could see shadows around, which didn't mean anything, other than that it was night. Same night as their rescue attempt or not, she couldn't say, only that it was night and she couldn't make out what the shadows around her were of.

Cautiously, she looked around, and was relieved when she could make out Elin's dress. The dress was a sky blue at the moment, but the distinctive style in contrast to the clothing they had available to choose from at the start of this thing was easy to make out.

She could also tell that no one seemed to have noticed her make a sound, which didn't matter to her, since it was clear Elin wasn't alarmed, given her posture with how she walked.

How she was moving without being carried in a litter, like a sack of potatoes, or like a fresh kill, she couldn't say. Though, she didn't mind not having to walk, allowing her to relax.

"You can see our camp ahead," an unfamiliar voice nearby said.

"It looks like there's more than one person in there," Kim heard Elmo remark. Kim could only chuckle as she learned that Elmo had survived.

"Yeah, another team met up with us before we left Michelle behind. They agree to look out for her while we made our own attempt to rescue Heather and Sonya from the goblins," the voice replied.

"How many were there?" Elin asked.

Kim made a mental note to talk to Elin about trusting just anyone. She was being too relaxed in Kim's opinion.

"Just two," came the answer. "I believe their names were Patrick and Patricia."

"Oh!" Elin cried happily. "We already met them!"

"Really?" the stranger asked.

"Yeah! We met them this morning when we woke up after we fought skeletons," Elin answered.

"You don't need to be so happy about the skeletons," Elmo commented, sounding a little annoyed. Kim couldn't help but feel that the kid has the right attitude.

"Skeletons, huh?" the man asked. "Last night we had a few zombies to deal with, but otherwise we were left alone."

"Owen," Elmo asked, quietly. "How long did your fight with the zombies last?"

"Couldn't say really," Owen answered. "I can't really tell the time very well in this place. I might be able to tell if I could see the sun, but until we figure out how to get out of here, there's nothing we can do about that.

"Would be nice to see the sung again," Elin remarked wistfully.

"Did you like the sun?" Owen asked.

"Not especially," Elin replied, "but it did make it easier to enjoy flowers and signing birds in my father's greenhouse that was between his study and the dining room."

Kim felt like rolling her eyes. That sounded like Elin. Although, at the same time, she felt like pulling Elin into a hug for the same reasons.

"Does everyone in your world spend their lives in their house like you?" Elmo asked.

"What do you mean?" Elin asked, sounding confused.

I bet you are, Kim remarked in her mind about Elin's confusion.

"I mean about how you never left your father's house since you were born until you got dragged into this. So, I was wondering how many people in your world are like that? Is it common for people to do that? Is it just the kids? Is it everyone and not limited to just the nobility? Or is it just you?" Elmo elaborated.

"Uh," Elin hesitated. "Um, I'm not really sure. I never met anyone other than friends of my fathers and occasionally he would go out, but I don't know if it was just me or not."

"I see," Elmo said. "Well, I was just wondering."

"I did learn how to manage the estate and business ventures my father has going on," Elin said, apparently going on her own topic without anyone asking.

"What ventures does your father have going on?" Owen asked, his voice containing a smile Kim didn't like.

"Well, the farmland on his march grows mostly cabbage, so we have a bit of that in his business. Then there's teal wood. Ours is the only land it's been found on in the kingdom," Elin answered. "Oh! He aslo has some fine porcelain made that can be really exquisite after it's ready for the market."

"Maybe when we settle down we should tell each other about our lives before this," Owen commented. "If nothing else, it'll help us work out some of the trust issues between some of us."

Kim smiled to herself. Since she was unconscious, as far as they were aware, and Elin was completely trusting, that meant Elmo or Jonas had to be the ones he was referring to, unless there were others on his team that were also having difficulty trusting others.

"Isn't that right, Kim?" Owen asked, startling Kim.

"H-how…?" Kim trails off, not sure what else to say. Especially since she hadn't seen his face.

"You're awake!" Elin cheered, wrapping her arms around Kim tightly, causing a flare of pain in Kim's chest.

"Ow! Ow! Ow! Not so tight, my gem," Kim said, wincing at the pain.

"Oh, sorry," Elin apologized. "I-I'm just so happy you're awake and alright."

In the dim light, even though she wasn't sure what the source of the light was, she could see tears in Elin's eyes.

"Don't worry, my gem," Kim said gently. "You're not getting rid of me that easily.

Elin laughed.

"Kim, just to let you know, Jonas succeeded, but he wore himself out and after he got the girls back, he passed out and hasn't woken up yet," Elmo informed Kim, almost as if he was making a military report.

She might have to talk with him about that at some point, but right now she didn't feel like getting into that.

"By the way," Kim said, moving her head to the direction she'd heard Owen's voice come from. "How did you know I was awake?"

"Because I have the esper system and can hear your thoughts," Owen replied simply.

"Then what am I thinking about now?" Kim asked smugly.

"You're thinking about Raspbery chocolate pudding," Owen said.

"Now what?" Kim asked, unsure if she was being toyed with. So, she thought she'd turn the tables a little on him by picturing Elin naked as they walked wherever they were currently heading.

"Now you're just thinking about…" Owen trailed off, which Kim had to admit he likely was reading her thoughts. So, she wondered just how much she could trust him, given they weren't on a level playing field, since he could tell what they were thinking, but they couldn't tell what he was thinking and all he needed to do was know how to present himself so he wouldn't seem threatening while plotting against them in his own mind.

"Please don't keep those images in your mind," Owen said, sounding embarrassed, bringing Kim back to the present.

"Why not?" Kim protested. "I'm sure Elin doesn't mind at all, I mean, why shouldn't I think of her in that way from time to time? We pretty much are going out."

"Regardless of any of that, you should still show her more respect than doing that would allow," Owen commented.

"I do respect her," Kim protested. "How I show that is my business. Besides, looking at our thoughts isn't really something someone who expects them to trust you would do. For all I know, you're reading just enough of our thoughts to know how to present yourself so you can take advantage of us later."

"Fair point," Owen allowed. "However, it's not something I can turn off. I hear thoughts all the time and have only been able to sort out whose thought's are who's rather than hearing them all at once and not knowing if it's your thought I'm hearing or Elwin's."

"Maybe so," Kim returned. "But that doesn't mean that you can't ask the tutorial how to turn it off. Isn't the tutorial there so we can figure out our systems?"

"I tried," Owen admitted. "All it said about it was that it was 'privileged information' and couldn't tell me anything more."

"Huh," Kim replied. "There seems to be a lot of basic information about these systems that whoever set this up doesn't want us to know."

"Consider them more of an enemy than I could ever be," Owen advised. "After all, if they have the power to create these systems, couldn't they already have all the powers of the systems themselves?"

Kim didn't like that line of thought, so decided to change the subject. To one that she could control more easily.

"Let me walk," Kim demanded. "How am I moving anyway?"

"If you want to walk, I can set you down, but right now it might be best if you stayed like that. You haven't fully recovered and I'd really rather you not overextend yourself because that could create more complications and slow down your healing," Owen advised.

"Please, Kim," Elin begged. "Just relax. We're not in any danger. He only intends to help us."

Kim looked at Elin carefully. The statement she just made didn't sound like her usual sheltered personality. It sounded more certain and carefully thought out than she was accustomed to coming from the girl. Which told her that she needed to talk with Elin about it more so she could fully understand it.

Was that why the girl trusts so easily? Kim couldn't help but wonder.

Regardless of any of that, they continued deeper into whatever corridor they were travelling through. What the destination was, Kim could only guess, given she definitely missed a lot after she had passed out. Which definitely didn't make her feel any more comfortable with the situation she was in. However, she at least had to trust the rest of her team and try to relax as best as she could. If nothing else, the better she was rested, the better she could help with whatever came their way next.