One of the best three minutes in anyone's day would be the three minutes before they wake up: It's when you have every opportunity to wrap up subconscious thoughts and save them for a later time. Well, the three minutes after you wake up, they're not as pleasant.

For Marlow, those first three minutes were spent trying to get an alarming amount of tiny spiders off his face. He attempted to get them off of his face first by slapping them, then realized that his hands also had spiders on them.

Not wanting to get eaten alive, he tried to run but only managed to stand up uncomfortably and fall over from his benched position. He fell and thudded to the ground, which caused Opal to glide away while Mr. Bones began barking at Marlow’s expense.

“WHAT IS THAT! IF IT’S ANOTHER OF YOU SALESMEN, I’LL- OH, GOOD MORNING MARLOW.”

“SPIDERS!” Marlow yelled at Benson, who slammed open his front door with such force a wave of dust rained from the roof.

“YEAH, I CAN SEE THAT. DON’T WORRY, THOUGH. LET THEM FINISH THEIR WORK. THEY ARE PRACTICALLY HARMLESS.”

“B-BUT THEY’RE, SPIDERS!”

“YEAH, GLOW SPIDERS. DO YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT GLOW SPIDERS EAT? BUGS. ARE YOU A BUG? I HOPE NOT, 'CAUSE YOU AIN’T BUGGING ME YET!” Benson chortled as a kid ran up and hugged Benson’s leg.

“Papa? What’s for breakfast?”

“EGGS AND APPLE SLICES, THERE ON THE COUNTER. AND DON’T WAKE YOUR MAMA UP! LET HER SLEEP IN.” Benson muttered while roughing up the kid's hair. “PAPA’S GOT TO SHOW THIS LAD HOW TO GET A COMPANION.”

“Ok, Papa, can I play with Mr. Bones when we’re done eating breakfast?”

“SURE THING, JUST DON’T WAKE MAMA.” Benson smiled as his kid ran back inside. Marlow watched as Benson let his son go, but when Benson turned around, a frown was on his face.

“SO TELL ME, LAD, WHEN DID YOU DOZE OFF? WHILE I WAS GIVING YOU YOUR REWARD.”

“I remember something about abilities?” Marlow sheepishly replied.

“GOOD! THE LAST THING YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT OUR BEASTIES GROW INCREDIBLY QUICKLY. SO GO GET YOUR CHICKEN. YOU GOT WORK TO DO.” Benson grumbled as Marlow stumbled after his roaming chicken as spiders drifted off him.

Snatching the wandering chicken, Marlow saw that Benson had already walked off towards a different orchard of trees and had already stopped by the barn. So Marlow ran after the fast farmer, putting Opal under an arm.

“So Ben, when can I-“

“BENSON, MY FATHER WAS NAMED BEN.”

“Benson, when can I get some breakfast?”

“YOU’LL GET SOME GRUB ONCE YOU’VE TAMED YOUR FIRST COMPANION. WELL, I AM GONNA HARVEST THIS FIELD.”

“OK? How will that help me find my family?”

“FIND YOUR FAMILY? GO TO THE GUARD HOUSE AND PUT YOUR NAME DOWN. THEY’LL GET BACK TO YA. NOW, ARE YOU FAMILIAR WITH CONDITIONAL TRAINING?” Benson sang as he rummaged through the fraying baskets.

“Yes, it’s where you teach a pet to do something under a specific circumstance. In exchange for a reward.” Marlow replied as Benson piled six dozen baskets on an empty cart.

“VERY GOOD! NOW, YOU HAVE A HEAD ON YOUR SHOULDERS, SO USE IT. GOOD LUCK AND ALL THAT.”

“I- um.”

“WE’RE BURNING DAYLIGHT. So, I will give YOU ONE LAST QUESTION BEFORE I GET TO WORK. SO. MAKE. IT. COUNT.”

“I—I… where do I get started.”

“THERE’S A BAG OF GRAIN AND NINE POTS IN THE BARN. SO TEACH IT A TRICK.”

Class quest! Benson, Grandmaster of the harvest. I have asked you to make Opal your first companion. Reward: Breakfast and a new companion. Accept / Decline

Marlow signed as Benson tramped off. Leaving him with another bubble text screen popping up. He pressed the ‘accept’ button and placed Opal on the dry dirt. Sighing to himself.

Marlow found the mentioned nine pots and an open bag of grain. Feeling his tummy rumble, he tried a handful of grain and found it dryer and nuttier than expected.

Now, how the fetch was he gonna teach a chick to come? Of course, it wasn’t a dog, but did that mean he couldn’t teach it like a dog? Crows could be taught to play fetch, and they weren’t dogs.

Marlow raised the heavy bag of grain and shook it. Instantly, Opal’s ever-shifting head stopped and turned. Curious to see what could have made such noise.

Marlow shook the bag again, and Opal took a hesitant step closer. Marlow called Opal’s name and shook the pack again, and Opal stopped. Sure, he’d helped teach his family’s dog name, but that was back when he was still in middle school. How much could have been forgotten?

“Opal!” Marlow called as Opal refused to take another step. Then, as if to spite him, Opal began to pick at the ground.

Ignoring the bag of food Marlow was holding. Marlow sighed as he dropped the heavy bag, pouring the grain on the dusty ground.

As if this was a hidden queue. Opal flew into action. Flapping her wings, she flew over to the freshly poured pile and began feasting on the seeds. Marlow knelt down and began scooping the seeds bag into the bag. And got a few pecks for doing so.

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Standing back up, Marlow held the bag aloft, letting Opal scavenge what remained. This was going to be an uphill battle with food on the line. Unfortunately for him, his tummy was against him too.

First, he had to teach Opal her name, then teach her to come. Then he could be just like Benson, but with a chicken. And no spiders and no family and no children and no farm. But one thing at a time, except for the spiders, could be a no indefinitely.

“Opal, get back here. You are gonna learn your name!”

Hours later, a sweat-drenched Marlow shook the hefty bag of grain. Each time he tried to put it down, Opal ran over and ate. Finally, forcing Marlow to pick it back up.

“Opal!” Marlow called and clicked his tongue a few times, but Opal refused to come. Marlow grumbled as he grabbed another handful of grain. But Opal continued to peck at the ground. Ignoring the human that was muttering something.

Marlow signed as his arms finally gave out. Grain spilled out on the dirt, which kicked up a small dust cloud. Opal wandered about before settling down in a lump of grass.

“ARE YOU WINNING CHAMP?” Benson bellowed as he hauled in a cart filled to the brim with oranges.

“No. I’m not.”

“GOOD, I’D BE SURPRISED IF YOU TAUGHT AN ANIMAL ITS NAME IN ONLY FIVE HOURS. NOW HELP ME UNLOAD THESE ORANGES.”

“Wait, you set me up to fail?”

“YES! IT NORMALLY TAKES THE BETTER PART OF A DAY TO TEACH A NEW TRICK. WHAT DID YOU THINK? THAT I WAS GOING TO HAND ALL THE TOOLS YOU’LL EVER NEED ON A SILVER PLATTER? THEN JUST LEAVE YOU BE? NO, I HAVE MY OWN LIFE TO LIVE. I NEED AN EXTRA HAND TO HELP RUN ALL THIS. I HAVE MY OWN FAMILY TO TAKE CARE OF. YOU MAY BE THE ‘PROTAGONIST’ IN YOUR LIFE, BUT GUESS WHAT! I’M THE ‘PROTAGONIST’ IN MY LIFE! AND I NEED YOU TO TAKE THESE BASKETS AND PUT THEM OVER THERE! THANK YOU.”

Benson hobbled his way over to Marlow with a pair of stacked baskets. After handing it to Marlow, Benson returned to the cart and continued.

“THINGS MAY NOT GO THE WAY YOU WANT THEM TO, BUT HEY, THAT’S LIFE. I’M JUST PREPARING YOU TO GET BACK UP AGAIN. NO, DON’T PUT THE ORANGES OVER THERE. WE STILL GOT TO GET IN THE CLOSET.”

Benson grumbled as the two rearranged the barn to mix all the orange baskets. Before Benson wheeled off the cart again. With Marlow and a full Opal in tow.

“Benson, why do you have a bunker storing food? Aren’t bunkers meant for, well, for hunkering down when an enemy is near?”

“AH, I SEE THE CONFUSION. WELL, LAD. HUMANS JUST GOT OUT OF A VERY LONG WAR WITH THE WOLFMEN. SO MOST OF OUR INFATUATES WERE MADE WITH THE IDEA OF BEING OVERRUN. BUT WHEN THE WAR ENDED, MOST OF OUR MANPOWER WAS SPREAD OUT TO REPURPOSE MILITARY BUILDINGS INTO EVERYDAY HOUSING. SO THE KING AND QUEEN JUST DECIDED TO PALM OFF THE JUNK TO PAY THE SOLDIERS THEIR JUST DUE.”

“So you bought the bunker?”

“NOT JUST THE BUNKER, BUT A SIEGE TOWER, MINEFIELDS, AND AN AMMO DPO. OF COURSE, I HAD TIME AND EXPERIENCE WITH ALL OF THESE TO TAKE THEM APART AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER AGAIN! SO NOW I RUN A FARM! BUT BETWEEN YOU AND ME. WITH ALL THESE TRAVELERS SHOWING UP, I FEEL AS THOUGH THERE’S GONNA BE A CHANGE IN THE WAY THINGS ARE RUN HERE. WHICH IS WHY WE’RE STOCKING UP ON AS MUCH FOOD AS POSSIBLE.” Benson spoke as they rolled up to a new line of trees.

“What change? Is something going to happen? Are we going to have to run?” Marlow questioned, worried that his family would be spread to four corners of the world.

“NO, NOTHING LIKE THAT. SURE, WE MAY HAVE WON THE WAR, BUT WE ONLY HAVE ENOUGH FIELD TO FEED A POPULATION TWICE THE KINGDOM’S SIZE. BUT NOW, WITH ALL YOU TRAVELERS POPPING IN, WE NOW NEED TO FEED A POPULATION THAT IS TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY-THREE TIMES LARGER!” Benson announced as his hands picked an orange tree clean. He tossed the oranges, which he had brought along, one by one into Marlow’s basket.

“So your saying is that in a few weeks, everyone will… die?” Marlow whispered as he realized the heavy clock that sat upon his shoulders.

“WELL, YEAH, BUT YOU TRAVELERS GOT A NIFTY TRICK UP YOUR SLEEVE. YOU CAN’T DIE! WELL, YOU CAN, BUT YOU’LL BE BACK IN A FEW HOURS.”

“So I’m immortal?”

“YEAH, BUT YOU CAN STILL NEED TO EAT AND DRINK,” Benson noted as he waited for Marlow to return with an empty basket. As he waited, he noticed Opal sitting instead still on the cart. As if it was waiting for something to happen.

“Benson, I was wondering if I could go to the guard’s house and put my name on the waiting list. Do I need to pay for it, or is it free?”

“I’M NOT SURE, BUT I’LL TELL YOU WHAT, IF WE GET THIS ORCHARD DONE BEFORE DUST, I’LL GIVE YOU SOME SILVER. JUST IN CASE THEY WANT YOU TO PAY. OKAY?”

Marlow agreed as the pair of them got to work. They harvested and filled the cart over and over again. When Marlow returned to the cart to grab an empty basket, he’d scratch Opal on her head and tell her name.

Eventually, the cart was filled again. When it was, Benson turned the cart around and pulled it back to the barn. With some time on his hands, Marlow petted Opal and whispered her name.

A thrum of lightning passed through Marlow’s body. Before suddenly rushing into his heart, then down his arm and into Opal. Marlow fell over dry heaving.

“What. The. Carp. Was. That?” Marlow gasped as Benson halted the cart.

“IT WORKED!” Benson cheered, scrambling out of the cart. Opal, however, seemed nonplussed as her master struggled to stand.

“CONGRATULATIONS LAD! WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BEAST TAMING! BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, YOU CAN FINALLY USE BEAST-KEEPING MAGIC!”

“Ugh.” Marlow signed as Mr. Bones hopped down and began licking Marlow’s pone face.

“ON SECOND THOUGHT, LET’S HOLD OFF ON TEACHING YOU THAT.”

“Benson? When. Can. I. Move. Again?” Benson looked westward, then back at Marlow.

“HOPEFULLY SOON. WE STILL HAVE A FEW MORE ROWS TO PICK. OH, QUITE YOUR BELLY ACHIN. WE NEED TO TURN A COIN WHILE WE CAN. BEFORE THE KINGDOM SNAGS IT RIGHT OUT FROM UNDER ME.”

Marlow grumbled as he slowly climbed to his feet with Benson's help after a firm pat on the back. They were off again. Harvesting and storing the crops. Later, as the sun dipped beyond the horizon, Marlow finally asked a question that had been on his mind.

“So Benson, how is Opal supposed to help me?”

“WELL, AS OF RIGHT NOW, SHE IS MORE OF A BURDEN THAN ANYTHING ELSE. BUT GIVEN TIME, SHE COULD BECOME A POWERFUL MAGE, A FORTUNE TELLER, OR A SCHOLAR. DEPENDING ON HOW YOU RAISE HER.”

“What do you mean? But chickens can’t do magic? Can they?”

“WELL, MAYBE NOT WHERE YOU’RE FROM, BUT HERE YES, THEY CAN. BUT NOT IN THE WAY YOU THINKING. YOU SEE, CHICKENS CAN’T CAST TYPICAL SPELLS LIKE MAGES OR THEM LIKE. BUT THEY CAN LAY EGGS. THESE EGGS CAN ACT AS MEDIUM FOR SPELLS TO BE CAST FROM. THROW AN EGG FROM HER, AND IT MIGHT TURN INTO A BLAZING BALL OF FIRE! THAT IF SHE’S EATEN ENOUGH SPICY FOOD EARLIER OF COURSE. OR READ TO HER ASTRONOMY BOOKS, AND YOU MIGHT FIND IN HER NEXT EGG A LITTLE FORTUNE.”

“That’s… not like the chickens I had,” Marlow responded as they walked between the bunker and the cart, unloading their latest haul. While Opal wandered about, Mr. Bones tried and failed to get Opal to play with him.

“WELL THATS JUST IT! ONLY BONDED BEASTS OR MAGICALLY INCLINED BEASTS CAN DO THAT SORT OF THING. OTHERWISE, THEY’RE JUST PLAIN OLD ANIMALS. PASS ME THAT BASKET, WOULD YA, THANK YOU.”

“So what is Beast-keeping magic anyway?”

“AH WELL, BEAST-KEEPING MAGIC IS THE TYPE OF MAGIC THAT FLOWS BETWEEN MAN AND WILDLIFE. NOT MAN AND NATURE, EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE QUITE SIMILAR. BEAST-KEEPING FOCUSES ON TAMING, SOOTHING, RESTRAINING, INVIGORATING, AND COOPERATING WITH ANIMALS OF ANY SORT.”

“So we could tame gorillas?”

“YEP, GORILLAS, PHOENIX, BEARS, FISH, DRAGONS. BASICALLY ANY NATURAL ORGANIC CREATURE.” Benson numbered off, setting his basket down before turning around to see his stunned apprentice.

“DID YOU SAY DRAGONS!”