In no time, the grass around its paw started to froze up. As the frost covered the ground, it began to spread to the surrounding trees.

Only its breath was visible in the darkness. Its breath formed icy clouds, creating an eerie atmosphere which seemed to freeze time itself.

The air became colder as the beast took a step forward, sending chills down the spines of Ibzel and the others. They could feel the menacing presence drawing closer.

Every time the beast moved forward, the ground would freeze, crack, and release ice shards beneath its feet. The terrifying creature seemed unstoppable as it continued its relentless march towards them.

Its figure became apparent to them as it drew nearer, revealing its massive size and ferocious features. It looked like a tiger, but with twice the size of a normal one and three times the teeth. Its white, thick fur and the intensity of its piercing blue eyes added to its intimidating presence.

The ground trembled under its weight as it continued its relentless march towards them, instilling a sense of terror and despair. Its towering size and razor-sharp claws were enough to strike fear into the hearts of all who witnessed it.

''It's a White Tiger!'' Bigon spoke in a low voice filled with awe and fear. ''Keep still and avoid looking into its eyes.''

''Fa… the… rr…'' Ibber shuddered in fear.

Ibzel gasped in terror as he saw the creature approaching them. His body tensed and cried out to be moved. His eyes twitched as he tried to resist the overwhelming urge to look into the white tiger's eyes.

''It won't attack you unless you provoke it." Bigon reassured them, his voice filled with a hint of confidence.

The group stood frozen in fear, unsure whether to trust Bigon's words or not.

The tiger approached the embers of the bonfire closer and stood back for a moment. Then, without warning, it grabbed something and turned towards the group, growling low, causing panic among them.

They were frozen in fear as the white tiger suddenly lunged backward and vanished into the darkness.

They all stood there, trying to process what had just happened. They looked at each other, still trembling from the panic among them.

After making sure the tiger was not in the region anymore, Bigon moved towards Ibber and Ibzel.

He asked them, "Are you both okay?"

They nodded and assured him that they were fine. Bigon let out a sigh of relief.

''It only took your bird!'' Bigon said relievedly to Ibzel.

''My… bird…?'' Ibzel asked in confusion.

''Yep, the one you were carrying with you when we found you. I placed it down close to the fire.''

''Oh yes, I remember now," Ibzel replied, a look of realisation crossing his face.

''I believe the tiger is not in good health. It must have been looking for an easy meal and found that bird instead.''

''But it didn't look like that.'' Ibber interrupted, shaking his head. "It looked strong and healthy to me."

Bigon smiled and replied, ''That's where they are different. It looked like that because it was going through evolution.''

''Evolution…?'' Ibzel asked with curiosity. "What do you mean by that?"

''Yeah… They evolve when they reach a certain age and are lucky." Ibber explained in awe.

''Yes, in normal circumstances, they are just normal animals. But after the evolving process, they become extraordinary beings with incredible abilities. Bigon explained. '' And it's incredible to see how they adapt and thrive in their new forms.''

''You see this ice frost, right?'' Bigon pointed to a layer of ice on the ground. '' When the beasts evolve, they each have their own affinity for elements. And they will even have their own unique abilities and powers. Some beasts have the ability to manipulate ice, like this one here.''

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

''But, what made you say it was weak, then?'' Ibber asked his father a question.

Bigon smiled and said, "Just because it can influence ice now doesn't mean it's strong as well. It's in the process of evolving, so its strength is weakened, and its entire energy is consumed for evolving. And at this time, hunting is hard as well. But within a few days, it will become a formidable force."

''If it was so weak, then why didn't we attack?''

''Ha ha ha… that's where you are wrong. Even when I said it was weak, that thing is still a beast. It can tear you apart the moment you let your guard down."

''There are a lot of things I don't understand…'' Ibzel said in a worried voice.

''haa… That's alright, you can learn things slowly.'' Bigon continued. ''And I'm actually grateful to you because your bird saved us.''

''How did my bird save us?'' Ibzel asked, his curiosity piqued.

"It's because, that bird caught the tiger's attention before it could turn on us." Bigon added. ''If it hadn't been for your bird, we might not have made it out alive. ''

''Are we safe?''

''I did say that we should be cautious for the time being, though.''

Bigon started to gather and crack pieces of ice from the ground and place them in a pot. He laid the pot on top of the embers, which are still burning.

''What is he doing?'' Ibzel asked Ibber a curious question.

''We don't have anything else other than liquor, so he is melting the ice to make water.''

After a short while, Bigon appeared with the pot and a steel cup in each hand.

''Here, take this cup. We need to stay hydrated,'' Bigon said, holding up the steel cup. ''It may not be the cleanest water, but it's better than nothing. ''

''Ibber, hand me the liquor, it will soothe your pain and help you relax a bit," Bigon suggested, smiling warmly at Ibzel. ''Plus, it might distract you from the troubles we're facing. ''

Ibber obediently pulled out a bottle from a pouch he was carrying around his waist, and handed it to Bigon.

Bigon returned the bottle to Ibber once the liquor and water had been mixed in the steel cup.

Ibzel watched it with interest, his gaze fixed on the pouch.

''What?'' Ibber asked, noticing Ibzel's curious expression.

''What is that?'' Ibzel pointed to the pouch.

''Ohh… This… This is a holder pouch.''

''Holder pouch?''

''Yeah… It's where we keep all our things.''

''They are all in there?'' Ibzel was surprised by his response.

''Ohh… so you are curious about this pouch?''

''How can it hold all of that?''

''Well, it's actually quite spacious inside. In fact, the pouch was actually made by the mages. So, you could say it's an enchanted item."

''It's quite remarkable, really. So how do you know which one you are picking up when you reach into the pouch?"

''Well, so for example, if you needed a specific item like this liquor bottle, you simply think about it, and the pouch will let you reach for the liquor bottle. Then, you can confidently pick it up without any confusion or uncertainty."

''How do you put it back, Doesn't the bottle break when you try to put it back into the pouch?"

"No, the pouch is designed to safely secure anything you place in it without any risk of breakage. It's like an air vacuum, where it floats and arranges the items itself." Ibber explained while placing the liquor bottle into the pouch. ''It's really convenient for storing delicate items while travelling."

''And how much space do you have in there?''

I don't know a lot about it, but one thing I do is that it varies depending on the tier of products. My father has one as well. Mine, which is smaller, contains all the gear and supplies required for the hunt. And my father's, which is larger, contains everything we collected during the hunt.

''It's really cool how it works!" Ibzel replied, fascinated by his explanation. ''

''It really is!, Every time I use that, I feel like a mage. It's like having magical powers," Ibber replied with a wide smile. ''

"That's enough, you guys can discuss the rest of it tomorrow. Son, feed him this water.'' Bigon handed the water to Ibber.

Ibber took the water and slowly poured it into Ibzel's mouth.

''It will be a little bit difficult for him to swallow at first, but it should help you sleep better," Ibber said reassuringly.

Ibzel swallowed the water with some difficulty, feeling a burning sensation as it went down his throat. His body tensed up momentarily, but then he felt a wave of warmth spreading throughout his body.

''This is burning my throat!" Ibzel exclaimed, coughing slightly.

'' Don't worry, it's just a temporary sensation. It will soon go back to normal," reassured Ibber, patting him on the back.

The burning sensation gradually subsided, replaced by a soothing and calming feeling. Ibzel's eyelids became heavy, as he felt his body gradually relax.

''You guys get to sleep; I will guard this place throughout the night. So sleep tight." Bigon said while gently stretching his legs.

Bigon lit the bonfire again for warmth and began to circle the area cautiously. As he kept a watchful eye on the surroundings, making sure no intruders would approach.

''Don't the beast come back again if we light the fire again?'' Ibzel asked curiosly.

"Don't be alarmed, Ibzel. Any beast would probably retreat if it noticed a fire. The incident earlier was a rare occurrence, and I don't think that the white tiger will return again today. And Father is keeping an eye, so don't worry. And he needs the fire to keep him warm through the night.''

''So why do I feel warm even when the fire isn't lit?''

''Oh, that's because of the bedding and blanket you are having. They are enchanted with magic. They have a special ability to retain warmth and keep you comfortable.'' Ibber explained while pulling out a blanket and bedding from his holder pouch and placing them near Ibzel.

Ibber slowly gets into the bedding and wraps himself up, sighing in contentment. He quickly falls asleep, grateful for the cosy shelter provided by the blanket.

Ibzel watched Ibber fall to sleep with a smile on his face. He could see Bigon sitting near the bonfire, cautiously watching the surroundings to ensure their safety throughout the night.

As he drifted off to sleep, he pondered: What are mages?