"Nervous?" Flynn asked. The two of them were currently on their way to a nearby forest, where Flynn would take a few days to train Victoria in the practical use of the skills he'd taught her.
"Huh? What? No! Why- why would I be nervous?" Victoria looked up, slightly panicked. She'd been thinking about what happened last night with the mysterious woman and she was worried Flynn had noticed something. She didn't want him, or more importantly the Marquis, to find out. They couldn't face the mysterious woman, let alone the sect behind her, and she didn't know if they'd attempt something suicidal once they found out.
Flynn gave her a weird look. "It's normal to be nervous about your first trip into the wild… you don't need to be so defensive."
"Oh… uh, yeah… sorry." Victoria muttered, slightly embarrassed.
"Don't worry, we'll be sticking to the outskirts for now. Most of the animals won't even be Rune Beasts, and any that are will be low leveled. These animals can still be dangerous, as you know, but it shouldn't be anything the two of us can't handle, as long as we're careful." Flynn explained, reassuring her with a grin.
Victoria repressed the urge to roll her eyes at him, giving him a thankful smile. She swore, she'd never thought someone so powerful could be as cowardly as this man was. As a fifth stage Core Strengthening Qi Cultivator, Flynn was probably strong enough to wrestle with any of the animals they'd meet in the area he was taking her to. Even if an entire pack of wolves surrounded them, he'd have a good chance of coming out of the fight completely unscathed! Yet still, he talked like they were facing a dire challenge where they'd be faced with danger at every turn, rather than what essentially amounted to a camping trip.
Feeling slightly bored as they walked, Victoria took stock of her gear. The Marquis had made sure to prepare her a comprehensive assortment for her trip. She had a well made tent, perfect for any kind of weather, a sleeping bag, flint, a compass, a telescope, several maps of the surrounding areas, enough dried meat and bread to last her for a couple weeks, let alone the few days she was going to be gone, and two large bags of water. If it weren't for her high stats, Victoria was concerned she wouldn't even be able to lift her pack, let alone hike through the woods with it.
Additionally, he'd given her two immaculate knives, perfect for fighting with, along with a pair of elegant, but functional sheaths. He'd apparently bought them as a present for her birthday, but since she was heading into the wilderness now, he felt it important to make sure she was armed before she went. Victoria wasn't entirely sure why knives needed stylized flowers etched into them, wondering if the craftsman was aware of what knives were usually used for, but she was thankful nonetheless. Despite their artistic make, they were obviously high quality weapons, entirely capable of performing the gruesome acts knives were generally used for.
"Watch where you step." Flynn instructed. "Try to step on rocks, roots, or hard ground, and absolutely avoid stepping in mud. Mud not only leaves a big, easily noticed footprint, but it also sticks to your shoes, leaving even more of a trace as you walk. Any trace you leave will increase the chance you'll run into a dangerous beast."
"See this path? That means something regularly comes through this way. It may seem convenient to walk along it, but it increases the chance you'll run into a dangerous beast."
"Avoid staying near trees and bushes with fruit. Animals are attracted to food, and while it might seem like a good way to supplement your food supply, it increases the chance you'll run into a dangerous beast."
"Know where the river is, but never camp by it. Animals seek water and camping near the river increases the chance you'll run into a dangerous beast."
"Avoid clearings. Without the surrounding foliage, you'll be easier to see, which-"
"Yes, yes, I know, it'll increase the chance I'll run into a dangerous beast." Victoria exclaimed in exasperation. "Do you have to say that every time?!?"
Flynn paused. "Avoid making loud noises… it'll…" Victoria glared at him, causing him to trail off. "Well… you know."
The two continued their journey through the woods as Flynn continued to point out the various tricks to avoiding the dangerous beasts that lived there, though thankfully without repeating that annoying phrase again. It wasn't long before they reached a dense patch of trees. "When you must sleep in the wilderness, it's best to choose a hidden location. Caves are an option, but they require a good deal of scouting to ensure that nothing lives there already. I prefer these dense patches of pine. The larger beasts have trouble moving through them, and smaller beasts prefer nut or fruit bearing trees.You can string up a net to use as a platform between the trees, keeping you off the ground and, with the addition of some carefully placed branches, rather well hidden." Flynn explained as he pulled out a tight mesh net.
He showed her how to secure the net to the trunks of the trees, and tighten it so that it remained taut. Once they were done, she took a few steps across, and found the net to be surprisingly supportive, almost like a trampoline, or a padded floor. After camouflaging the bottom with some branches, Flynn took out some canvas and they made a canopy and some walls as well, completely secluding themselves.
Victoria frowned. "If this is what we were going to be doing, why have I been lugging this tent around all day?"
"Because your father went through the trouble to get a high quality tent made by a professional tentmaker all the way from the Capital, and I didn't have the heart to tell him only the rich and stupid use tents in the wilderness. Tents are for large groups that can afford to set up patrols and watches, not for Hunters." Flynn explained with a sigh. "Besides, it isn't as if it's completely useless. If you get separated from me, you can take it apart and use the pieces to make something useful."
"Right… the sleeping bag is still good though, right?" Victoria asked, raising an eyebrow. The Marquis had gotten her a very comfortable looking sleeping bag, and she'd honestly be rather disappointed if she didn't get to use it.
"It's unnecessarily bulky, but there's nothing technically wrong about it… just make sure you can get out of it quickly and easily, and you'll be fine." Flynn replied as he pulled out his own sleeping bag, made from a thin material which made Victoria feel itchy just looking at it.
*
Flynn spent the next day teaching Victoria the tricks of observing animals in the wild. She quickly learned why he'd said she needed to memorize the entire bestiary before coming out here. Without that knowledge, it was hard to even find some animals, let alone observe them. Without knowing the markings a creature would leave behind, what their poop looked like, or the plants they liked to live around, it was almost impossible to run into a specific animal by chance.
The observing was even more difficult. Victoria had been under the assumption that when Flynn talked about observing an animal, he was talking about physically laying eyes on said animal. Oh how naive she was. No, when Flynn said observe, he meant they would sift through the animal's droppings, examine the refuse in its den, or study its footprints. How could she think cowardly, cautious Flynn would get anywhere near an animal before he had a complete understanding of it? It was only after literally every other way to gather information on the creature was exhausted that they would finally lay eyes on the creature and risk even a minor chance of being seen.
"Now, what can you tell me about the subject so far." Flynn asked as the two of them hid in some underbrush, waiting for the animal they'd been 'observing' to return to its den so they could get their first look at it.
"Well, first, it's a bear, male. It only recently moved to the area, which means it's probably weak, having been forced out of its previous territory for some reason. Judging by the size of its footprints and the depth, it's about eight feet tall, but overweight, even more so than necessary to prepare for hibernation. Its primary diet consists of medium to large sized animals, common prey for a bear. Other than the excessive weight, it seems to be perfectly healthy, which means the reason for its weakness is probably old age." Victoria rattled off her conclusions based on their previous observations.
Flynn nodded. "Good. Additionally, you could note that since it doesn't appear to be fighting for territory, it is most likely the strongest beast in the area, though that isn't terribly surprising around here. Bears are apex predators and without Runes, most animals will fear them."
Victoria nodded along, and they continued to wait. A short while later, they heard some rustling and the bear finally appeared, pacing heavily towards the cave it'd made its home, dragging the remains of a deer it'd obviously only recently killed. As the bear lumbered into view, Victoria's eyes went wide. "That's a big bear." She muttered unconsciously as she took it in. As she'd said, the bear was obviously overweight, but once she saw it, it was clear it wasn't because of fat. Hard, bulging muscles rippled as the bear moved, barely restrained power obvious in every step. Scars covered the gigantic beast, painting a picture of a multitude of fierce, bloody battles, and on its shoulder was a twisted, terrifying looking brand.
She looked over at Flynn, confused, only to see his face pale in blatant fear. As the bear disappeared into the cave, he finally let out a breath he'd obviously been holding ever since the bear appeared. He quickly grabbed Victoria's wrist and began to drag her away, escaping from the area as fast as he could without alerting the terrifying beast lurking in the cave.
"Wait, Flynn, why are we running?!?" Victoria asked with a hissed whisper, confused by his obvious terror.
"I'll explain later! Just move!" Flynn hissed back, continuing his escape. It wasn't until they were safely back in the tree tent that he finally calmed down, breathing heavily.
"Okay, what was all that about?" Victoria asked, giving him a weird look.
"That was a Tamarin War Bear!" Flynn exclaimed. "They're at least mid-tier Rune Beasts! I wouldn't last a second against that thing! This- W-we need to report this to your father! Such a dangerous Rune Beast… it isn't safe to leave it so close to our territory."
"Could I request that you not do that?" A deep, rumbling voice came from below them. "It took me so long to find a nice quiet place to live and I would hate to have to move again."
Flynn and Victoria's eyes widened as they looked down. Below them, the bear was standing on its hind legs, reaching up to pull aside some branches to look at them with a bland gaze. "Eep!" Flynn squeaked, going white as he fainted in fear.
"Oh dear, is he alright?" The bear asked, sounding concerned.
Victoria raised an eyebrow at the bear. "You, uh, you seem pretty polite for something called a War Bear."
The bear scoffed. "What does being a War Bear have to do with my personality? It is like one of your human jobs. It has no bearing on who I am."
"Uh huh… so… does this mean you aren't going to kill us?" Victoria asked, sounding vaguely hopeful.
"Ugh, killing." The bear muttered in disgust. "I have had enough of killing! Every day for decades, just fight, fight, fight! Fight to train, fight for food, fight for war, I am sick of it! No, I would rather not kill any more. Unless you humans decide to come after me with that insane death wish of yours. The irony of you referring to us as savage…" The bear finished with a mutter under his breath.
"Well… my father is the lord around here… I can probably convince him to leave you alone, get the Hunters to ignore this area… would that work for you?" Victoria offered tentatively.
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"That would be wonderful, yes, thank you." The bear responded, sounding grateful.
"Uh, you're welcome… What are you doing here anyways?" Victoria asked.
"I-" the bear paused, frowning. "Would you mind coming down here? This position is rather uncomfortable for me."
"Oh! Uh, yeah, sure." Victoria responded after a bit of thought. The bear was already in a position where it could kill her at any time, so it didn't need to get her to come down to do so. She quickly made her way down to the ground, but as she looked at the bear, her eyes widened again. The beast was truly huge, and she became very aware that even a minor movement from it would be enough to crush her.
The bear proceeded to lie down in front of her with a sigh, getting comfortable. "Ah, much better." It rumbled in satisfaction, before turning back to her. "Now, what was it you asked again?"
"I, uh, well… just, how did you end up here, instead of back in Tamara?" Victoria asked, feeling nervous as she faced the giant head up close.
"Ah, yes. Well, it was not easy. You see, Tamarins only release the War Bears in times of, well, war. At all other times, we are kept locked in a hidden facility under constant watch. Only during war are we allowed even a modicum of freedom. Therefore, that was my only chance to escape, and it was not easy. Even in war, we are watched over by powerful Cultivators, to keep us in check and recapture us after the battle. I fought battle after battle, waiting for a single opportunity, until finally, we faced a particularly vicious opponent. We ultimately won, but my handler was severely injured, leaving her almost dead. Without the strength to stop me, she could only watch as I made my escape, shouting after me, her cries falling of deaf ears.
"I lived peacefully in the surrounding wilderness for a while after that, but wherever I went, eventually my handler would appear again, tracking me down and trying to recapture me, though I'd always manage to slip away. Eventually, I got sick of it, and decided to venture deep into the forest, through to the other side, making my escape. Ironically, the edges of the forest were almost more dangerous than the center. The powerful beasts of the deep forest did not care for something as weak as I, simply ignoring me as I carefully crept through their territory as quickly as possible. Only creatures around my own level felt the need to fight against me. Thankfully, my experience gave me the edge I needed to survive, and eventually I made my way here, far from my handler's reach. It would be a shame if I needed to repeat the experience again though… I am not sure if I could get lucky twice."
"Wow… that's… it sounds like you've been through a lot…" Victoria commented, before pausing. "Uh… just- just to let you know… we're still technically on the border with Tamara."
The bear jolted upright, eyes going wide. "What!?!"
Victoria winced. "Uh, yeah… hold on." Victoria quickly climbed back up the tree, before returning with a few maps, spreading them out. "You see, here's the forest, and we're here. Tamara is over there, but it wraps around this mountain range here and borders us right there, see. Tamara here, Farova here. Now, I'm not sure if your handler will risk going into a foreign kingdoms territory to track you down or not, but… like, if she does, this is like one of the first places she'd look."
The bear looked down at the map in what Victoria assumed was consternation. "Every War Bear is the result of years of investment… I have never heard of the Tamarins just giving up on recapturing one. I did not… if she can reach this place, she will come. Of that I have no doubt."
"Then… what are you going to do?" Victoria asked.
"Run? Hide? What else can I do? At least outside of Tamara, she will be limited in the resources she can bring to bear." The bear commented with a sigh. Victoria let out a slight snort, trying not to laugh, and the bear fixed her with a judgemental glare. "Is my situation funny to you?!?" He asked incredulously.
"No! No, it's just… you said bring to bear… you are a bear, and you could take it as she was bringing resources for you, like for you to have… uh… it's a pun." Victoria responded in a panic, flushing slightly as she tried to explain.
The bear's eyebrows raised. "Bring resources… to bear… Ha! That is indeed amusing! If only she would deign to actually bring me resources. Then I would not need to run and hide as I do."
Victoria nodded with a sigh. "Yeah, everything's better when you have a bit of support. Not too much though… otherwise you turn into a useless lump that can't even work a washing machine."
The bear frowned. "What is a 'washing machine'?"
"Uh… well… it's for clothes, so it wouldn't matter to you." Victoria coughed lightly, brushing off the question, chastising herself lightly. While she could always explain it away with Maurice's 'knowledge of another culture' theory, she really shouldn't mention things from her past life. "So, how come you can talk? Is that a mid-tier Rune Beast thing? I'm not actually sure what it means to be a mid-tier Rune Beast…"
"The Rune Beast tiers are simply based on the types of Runes the Rune Beast cultivates. One type for low-tier, two types for mid-tier, and three types for high-tier. Mid-tier Rune Beasts are generally twice as strong as a low-tier of the same level, and high-tiers are three times as strong, just in pure power. Combine that with a larger arsenal of abilities and you can see how terrifying they can become. Of course, the same applies to your Cultivators." The bear explained in a patient tone. "As for my ability to talk, it is due to a Rune I have acquired, though I would imagine many Spirit Beasts would be the same. Communication is a common ability to gain from Spirit Runes as without the ability to communicate your ideas, what is the point of even having them?"
Victoria felt her mind shake as her eyes went wide, the bear's words resonating through her. "Could- could you repeat that last part?" She asked, tentatively, her heart pounding as she felt her Design Rune begin to tremble in her Runescape.
The bear frowned. "Without the ability to communicate your ideas, what is the point of even having them?" He repeated for her, in a slightly confused tone.
Victoria let out a breath, sitting down cross legged and entering her Runescape, concentrating on her Design Rune. It was so obvious! How did she not see it before?!? It was even a part of her initial epiphany! With everything she'd learned from her Rune, she'd forgotten about people! She wasn't just concerned with how things fit together, but with how people did too! Of course, she didn't think she needed to start simulating people in her design space, but she suddenly saw the path she'd been ignoring. She had to be able to communicate her ideas to people. To work them into her designs. She thought about Calvin, how he didn't get the toilet. She had to think about how the things she'd design would affect people, how they'd interact with them, how they'd understand them. This wasn't simply about others understanding her, but her understanding other people!
Her Design Rune shook as new lines began to form, adding more complexity to the shape. On her forehead, the Initial Rune appeared and new lines began to push their way out, until it became the tier one Advanced Rune. Victoria remained in her Runescape until the process finished, contemplating the new Rune she'd received, before exiting, letting out a light breath and grinning. She opened her eyes, only to let out a yelp as she found the bear only inches from her face, staring at her with wide eyes. "You… how did you do that?" He asked in a stunned tone.
"Do- do what?" She asked nervously, giving him a weird look.
"You just advanced your Rune, yes? It progressed to the next level? How did you do that?!?" The bear asked again, insistently.
"I-I don't… what you said made me realize something and it just… happened. I really didn't do anything." Victoria replied, not sure how to answer him.
"Amazing!" The bear exclaimed. "You, a human, actually advanced your Rune! Outstanding!"
Victoria frowned. "What does that mean?"
The bear paused. "Hmmm, yes, well, let me explain. For Rune Beasts, as far as I can tell, our Runes are much more… proactive. Without any urging from us, they give us their knowledge, enhancing our skills. Once we reach a certain point in our skill level, the Rune will advance granting us a new ability and teaching us a new aspect of the skill. The process is much the same as what you have just experienced. The old Rune brands itself on our body, while a new Rune forms in our Runescape. It is just, I have never seen a human go through this process. From what I know, humans must assimilate their Runes. How are you different?"
Victoria shrugged. "I don't really know myself. The first time it happened, it just kind of did it on its own… I'd been hoping it would do it again, but after I'd understood the next level, it just wouldn't evolve, or advanced as you say, and I couldn't figure out why. Then you said the thing about needing to communicate your ideas, and I felt my Rune begin to change. The more I thought about your words, the more it reacted, until finally, it advanced."
"Interesting…" The bear muttered. "It seems that the difference is again in how we interact with our Runes. You humans must chase knowledge, like a hunter, trapping it and making it your own, while for Rune Beasts, knowledge is simply given, as a mother feeding her cubs."
Victoria frowned. "Well… that seems a little unfair, don't you think?"
"In some ways, perhaps, but your way has its own advantages. For Rune Beasts, we cannot receive what our Rune does not want to give. We must wait and be patient, allowing it to develop on its own. Humans however, can take all that the Rune has. In terms of advancement speed, humans will trump Rune Beasts every time." The bear explained, sounding almost depressed.
"I'm guessing you have personal experience with that?" Victoria asked.
"Indeed. In the beginning, my handler was simply a weak little girl, not much different than yourself, while I was already a strong, powerful mid-tier Rune Beast. However, as the years passed, she became stronger and stronger, until her power rivaled my own, and even surpassed it in areas." The bear grumbled morosely. "If she ever forces me into a confrontation, my chances of escape are slim."
Victoria frowned. "Is Tamara so terrifying? To have such powerful Cultivators along with their War Beasts? Aren't they just a small kingdom like us?"
The bear shook his head. "It is not simply the Tamarins. I do not know the details, but the handlers and trainers are all said to come from the sect, seemingly a separate organization from the Tamarins."
Victoria jolted. "Are you sure about this?" She exclaimed. "The Tamarins are actually working with a sect?!? Do you know which one!?!"
The bear shook his head. "I never heard its name. They simply called it the sect."
Victoria frowned as she considered what she'd just learned. If the Tamarins were working with a sect… were they going to try for empire status? Which sect would be so bold? Unless they were confident they could defeat all the surrounding sects, no one would risk even appearing as if they were merging with a kingdom. It'd be like wearing a zebra suit in the middle of Africa! You'd just be asking to be attacked!
Any sect that could successfully merge with a kingdom would soon become the overlord of the region. It happened time and time again. And the first thing a dominant sect would do was either absorb or eradicate all the surrounding sects. So now, any time a sect attempted to merge with a nation, every other sect would immediately attempt to destroy it.
"Shit… I need to tell the Marquis about this." Victoria muttered, a worried look in her eyes. As one of the nations bordering Tamara, they'd be one of the first targets when they started their conquest. Specifically, the Marquis's territory would be the first place hit. They were right on the border and too powerful to ignore. While their political influence may be insignificant, no one could doubt their military might.
She then looked up at the bear. "If- if it's possible, would you be willing to… could you tell the Marquis what you told me? I believe he'd believe me, but if he wants to convince the rest of the kingdom, he'll need more than 'my daughter heard this from a talking bear in the woods' to go on."
The bear raised an eyebrow. "You wish for me to accompany you back to your home? That does not seem like the wisest course of action. Especially considering…" He gestured towards the still unconscious Flinn up in the tree tent.
"I was actually thinking of bringing him out here, but… well, first of all, what if your handler shows up and you have to run? How would we find you? On the other hand, if you do come to the castle, we can probably keep you safe, er, relatively. I don't think we have any Cultivators who can face a woman as powerful as a mid-tier Rune Beast, but at least there, she'll have to cause a scene if she wants to take you, which would risk revealing their plans… though, if we already revealed their plans, they probably won't really care about that… shit, hold on." Victoria rambled, thinking through her plan.
"Okay, so, the issue is, if the Tamarins, or the sect behind them, figure out we talked, they'll definitely try and kill us before we can tell anyone. Even if the whole kingdom knows, it'll be hard to resist a sect. But, we can't just go to a sect and tell them, because what if they're the ones working with Tamara? They'd just kill us. We'd have to inform multiple sects at once… but then, if the sect was there, they would probably just destroy any evidence and scrap the plan, killing us in secret as revenge for ruining their plans…" Victoria furrowed her brow in thought, every idea coming to a dead end. "We'd need to figure out the sect responsible before we told anyone, so we can arrange a surprise attack, catching them off guard… to do that, we'd need to find someone who actually knows such as… uh… shit." Victoria gave the bear a nervous look. "There… there wouldn't happen to be any way to capture your handler, would there?"
The bear shook his head. "She is much more powerful than I, and even more slippery. Her primary core is Qi, making her a difficult opponent to even defeat before she could escape, let alone catch. I would need to be much more powerful than I am now to accomplish this. In the short time we have available to us, how would that even be possible?"
Victoria sighed, nodding along. "I figured as much. You can't pull power out of thin… air…" She trailed off as she glanced at her task window, which had just created a task to discover the sect behind Tamara, giving her an idea. She suddenly reached out, and tapped the bear's nose.
The bear jolted in surprise, a tinge of anger creeping into his gaze. "Who do you-" He began, before freezing, his eyes widening, as in the corner of his vision appeared a small box. "What- what is this?"
Victoria grinned. "That is how you pull power out of thin air."