The morning sun barely crept through Thornskull's haze, it was a weak glow that filtered through the smoke and grime that clung to the village like a second skin.
Kael woke on Lila's cot, his side still aching from the Razorquill's spine and Thom's boots. His ribs ached with every breath, but the pain was duller now, thanks to Lila's herbs, she had done a good job in treating his wounds the previous night.
Mara curled against his hip, her warm fur a quiet comfort in the dim room, it slept quietly.
Kael stirred, moving quietly. Mara woke up sharply, it's eyes flicking towards him, sensing his stir. He sat up slowly, wincing as the bandages tugged at his skin.
The room was quiet, Lila was nowhere in sight, but again, she wouldn't be. Did he expect her to sleep beside him or something?
Kael's gaze drifted to the table, where a half-burned candle sat beside a basket of crushed herbs. His chest tightened as the memories of the previous night flooded in again.
Lila had patched him up, apologized, cried even.
Part of him wanted to believe her. But trust? That was a luxury he couldn't afford, not after Mara paid the price for other people's cowardice.
He swung his legs off the cot, ignoring the stab in his side, and grabbed his torn tunic. Mara hopped down, stretching with a yawn that showed her sharp teeth. Kael rummaged through the room, found a scrap of parchment and a charcoal stub, and scrawled a quick note:
"Thanks for the help. I'm fine now."
It was short, no promises, no warmth. He left it on the table, tucked under the candle. It felt right—gratitude without debt. He wasn't ready to owe her anything more.
"Come on, Mara," he whispered, scooping up the ashfox.
He slipped out the door, the morning air was fresh with dew, a cool breeze that washed over him.
Thornskull's streets were waking now, cart wheels creaking, and voices muttering, but Kael kept his head down, Mara tucked inside of his cloth.
He didn't look back at Lila's house. His shack wasn't far, that's where he was headed for.
***
Kael set Mara down, grabbed a stale crust from a shelf, and tore off a piece for her.
She nibbled at it, while wagging her tail lightly, she was clearly not as hungry as she had been all this while.
He chewed the rest, his stomach growling but used to less. He sat for a moment, thinking.
Three weeks.
He had just three weeks.
"We're not staying," he suddenly said, turning to Mara, his voice low.
"We've gotta get stronger. For her."
Mara's ears perked, like she understood. Maybe she did—Soul Bond was starting to feel like more than a skill. He could connect with the beast, feel her state of mind.
Kael closed his eyes, summoning the System's interface with a thought. The shimmering screen flared to life, its crisp text glowing in the dim shack:
[SSS Rank System Interface: Soulbound Core]
Host: Kael
State: Initial Awakening
Bonded Beast: Ashfox (Mara) – Lesser Class
Soul Level: 5
Experience (XP): 420 / 500
HP: 135 / 150 (Recovering)
SP (Soul Power): 60 / 80
STR: 15 | AGI: 15 | INT: 14 | VIT: 11 | WIS: 15 | LCK: 4
Bond Sync: 20% (Low compatibility. Sync improves with trust, time, shared combat.)
Skills:Soul Bond (Core Passive): Allows beast contracts. Enables communication, growth synergy, shared senses.
Inferno Spark (Active): Conjures a small flame burst.
Kael frowned. Level 5 wasn't enough—not for Cresthaven, not for a tournament that chewed up hundreds and spat out six.
Three weeks. He needed more—more levels, more skills, more strength for Mara.
Right now, he had only one combat skill, and it wasn't even nearly strong enough to do any damage to opponents, he had to get stronger, and very quickly.
"Forest it is," he muttered, dismissing the screen. Mara bounced to the door, her tail high. She was ready even before he was.
He had goals now, clear ambitions. He was being forced to grow too fast, become more matured than he had ever been in just a few weeks.
His sister was gone and he was all alone and forced to fend for himself.
However, if he really got into Cresthaven Academy, then that's when the real world would begin.