When do the scouts arrive? Kael asked, staring at Eryn. The girl shrugged, inhaling deeply.
"It hasn't been announced yet, this evening, at the village square."
Kael nodded, taking the information to mind. He was too weak to even participate in the scouting exams, he needed to get stronger immediately. The farther the scouting exams was, the more chances he fancied at getting selected.
"Well..." Eryn said, standing up with a sigh. "See you there..."
Kael didn't stand, his mind was racing. "Okay." He said, with a simple nod.
Eryn walked away.
Kael sat on the forest floor, thinking. Thinking of the things he had been through in his short fifteen years.
Fifteen years—bullied, broke, magicless, and now sisterless. Mara was gone, her pendant was all he had left, a cold reminder of what he had lost.
All he had now was a fox, and a system. Cresthaven Academy's scouting soon, Eryn had said. Soon wasn't good enough. He was too weak to even stand in a crowd, let alone fight for a spot.
He needed strength, now.
He stood, brushing mud off his tunic, and glanced at Mara. Her ember-streaked fur glinted in the dappled light, her eyes sharp, waiting. "Let's hunt," he spoke to the fox. "We're not staying like this."
The fox bounced up, wagging it's tail, and they slipped slightly deeper into the forest outskirts, but making sure they still stayed where Lesser Beasts roamed—F to D rank.
The system's Missions tab was still clear in his mind: "Hunt 3 Lesser Beasts. Reward: XP +150."
His palms itched. Mara used to bring home meat; she used to cook, clean, and protect him. Now it was his turn.
A sharp sound flew by, the air suddenly shaking. Kael reacted swiftly, he crouched, heart thumping.
He was starting to get sharper, not stumbling at the slightest sound and risking his life.
Mara's ears twitched, pinpointing the sound. A skitterboar—F-rank, bristly, with stubby tusks—burst from a fern, squealing as it charged.
It's eyes was bloodshot as it locked it's gaze on Kael, not slowing down one bit.
Kael dove to his left, rolling into the dirt as the boar's tusks missed him, but barely grazing his leg, tearing his trouser.
He couldn't worry about that.
The Boar lunged again.
"Mara!" he shouted, scrambling up. The fox jumped, growing to its full size immediately. It clawed the boar's flank, but the boar swung it's tusk immediately.
It connected cleanly, slamming the fox with a tusk.
The Ashfox yelped, skidding back. She growled a stare at the boar, blood spurting from underneath her fur.
Kael gritted his teeth as he stared at the boar. "Damn!."
So far, they had been the ones being hunted by beasts, instead of hunting the beasts. Either ways, nothing changed, it was still the same result, except that he could get killed way more easily.
Kael pointed his palm at the boar, he closed his eyes and mustered his energy. His hand glowed and fire brimmed at its centre.
"Pew!"
The fire struck the boar, barely grazing it's skin. He was too weak.
"Damn!"
Kael's hands shook, but he grabbed a branch, swinging it like a club.
It cracked against the boar's snout, stunning it for a moment. Mara seized the gap, it dove in, swinging its tail at the boar. The boar shrieked as it was knocked far back, it growled and got up immediately, ready to attack.
But Kael shot another fireball, this time it hit the boar's eyes. That was a weak spot.
The boar groaned, twisting and turning, trying to restore it's sight.
Mara jumped forward, it opened its jaws and closed it around the boar's neck, snapping onto its throat.
The boar wanted to scream, but it's throat was being crushed, as fast as light. One of its eye was blind, but the open one conveyed it's emotions. A painful terror was spreading through its body.
The fox thrashed the boar around, hitting it's neck on the floor until it stilled.
Kael panted, leaning on the branch as Mara shook herself, limping but alive.
Ding! The system chimed: "Lesser Beast defeated. XP +50 earned." The screen flickered: Experience (XP): 100 / 200. "Two more," he muttered, wiping sweat from his brow.
Mara nudged his hand, and he scratched her ears, a faint smile breaking through. "You're tough, Mara."
They pressed on, the forest's edge buzzing with threat. The next fight came fast—a pair of D-rank clawmoths, wings like tattered cloth, darting from a low branch.
Kael ducked as one slashed at his face, its talons grazing his cheek.
"Damn it!"
He stumbled, blood welling up around the wound, but he retaliated quickly, he flicked his hand, willing Inferno Spark.
A pebble-sized flame sputtered out, singeing a moth's wing—it screeched, spiraling down.
These things were light, almost like a cloth. Fire would be their biggest nightmare, no matter how weak.
Mara pounced, raising her paws and slamming it down, crushing the smaller beast under her paws. She raised her head with a grow, eyeing the second.
She leapt for the second beast, tearing it mid-air with a snarl. It gave no resistance at all.
Ding! "Lesser Beasts defeated. XP +100 earned. Soul Level increased to 3." The screen flared again: Experience (XP): 0 / 300. Soul Bond upgraded: Size Shift unlocked. Kael's breath caught—Size Shift?
The Skills & Abilities tab glowed: Size Shift – Active Skill. Effect: Alter bonded beast's size at will (Small to Large and vice versa).
His stats ticked up too: STR: 12, AGI: 14, SP: 40 / 40."Size… Shift?"
Kael glanced at Mara, who tilted her head, curious. He felt her heart beat.
He focused, willing her to grow. Her fur rippled, and she swelled immediately. Her paws widening, her shoulders towering over him, embers flaring in her coat.
He felt the impact of her size again.
She was massive, a predator's bulk, eyes still soft but fierce. Kael laughed, shaky but thrilled. "Okay, shrink back."
She did, collapsing to pet-size, wagging her tail and tongue at the same time.
Kael didn't know how useful this was, as Mara could already do this willingly. But he knew it would come in handy.
He was more impressed by the fact that he felt the bond between he and Mara deepen. Now, he could feel her presence even stronger, knowing where the fox was.
Mara could feel his presence too.
He tested Inferno Spark next. It was a walnut-sized fireball now, hotter, charring a leaf to ash.
It was still Weak, but he was getting somewhere.
More fights left him bruised—scratches stung his arms, his leg ached from the boar's graze—but Mara's wounds were shallow, her bond sync ticking to 20%.
He carved a chunk of skitterboar meat, raw but enough to cook later, and turned toward home, shrinking Mara to slip through the brush.
The sun was dipping low now, and he caught sight of his own shadow stretching.
He froze, remembering it.
"Crap! I got carried away!"
The elders were announcing the date of the scouts' arrival tonight—at the village square, now.
Kael broke into a run, Mara scampering at his heels, her small form darting through roots.
He needed to wash the blood and mud off, look like something other than a forest rat before the square filled up.
The paths twisted ahead, huts coming into view, when a familiar voice stopped him cold. It wasn't addressed to him, but it still made him uncomfortable.
Thom, Rigg and Lila were walking towards him. Kael paused, his heart skipping a beat.
He locked eyes with Thom, for a moment, then he immediately looked away.
Those baker's boys, the ones who'd locked him out, left Mara to die.
The Trio saw him now, and they paused, instinctively. Lila's gaze softened, heavy with something that seemed to be guilt.
"Kael…"
She mumbled.
Thom caught her gaze, and he was annoyed, jealous too.
He stepped closer to Kael.
"Still crying over your sister, huh?"
Lila gasped, finding it cruel. Mara was dead, and it was their fault. If anything, they should be feeling sorry.
Kael kept his gaze down, refusing to look into his eyes.
"She was beast food, get used to it already!"
Kael raised his head, now staring into Thom's eye. His fists clenched, angered.
Thom let out a dirty smirk. "Heh? What's that look on your face?"
He pushed Kael.
"Wanna beat me!?"
He pushed Kael again, causing him to fall.
"That's enough!"
Lila snapped.
Rigg grabbed Thom's arm. "Come on, man! We've have no time for all of this, the square's already cramped by now. Just let the boy be!"
Thom clicked his tongue, glaring at Rigg, but Rigg was correct, and he knew. He yanked his hand free.
They started walking away, Lila glanced at Kael, a sorry look painting her face.
She was sorry. Really was.
Thom snapped again, turning around and throwing a stone hard.
It landed on Kael's forehead, sharp pain spreading through his brain. The stone was big and heavy, it's weight caused Kael to tumble over, lying flat on the dirt now.
He lay there, blood trickling towards his eye, staring at the bruised sky.
Mara whined, scampering to his side. Her tongue lapped at his wound.
She growled loudly, glaring in the direction the trio had gone. But Kael's hand rose, patting her fur.
A small smile rose out of his lips.
"Don't worry about them…" he muttered.
"They won't know what hit them when it comes."