I hadn't really mentioned it too much earlier for exceedingly obvious reasons, but writing the letter had reminded me about Rilu's appearance. He was cute, with platinum blonde hair incongruous with his otherwise eastern features and fashion sense. The only thing that seemed to align with that hair was the leather satchel Catalyst. Even then, I didn't have the historical knowledge to say for sure, it really just gave off a European vibe.

The robes, however, were distinctly oriental, though not in a traditional style. They were still wrapped to one side, but it was thin in the back and didn't cover much of the shoulders. I wanted to joke that he was hoping to grow wings, but not only did I not want to seem insensitive, I knew that he very well could be doing just that.

Still, his style didn't seem too strange to me. I mean, he was literally a dragon, it wasn't exactly difficult to suspend my disbelief about his nationality.

His sun-kissed warm skin tone sharply contrasted my almost sickly pale complexion. It was difficult to say what mine was, though. I was more sunburn and bruises than natural skin as it was. This was all too visible under my tattered band shirt and my sweatpants which looked closer to shorts at this point. He also had old scars running down his arms and callouses on his hands, with an otherwise well maintained physique. Once again, in stark contrast to my... Actually, I did have burn marks and injuries, so that's a bad example.

Essentially, I felt pretty inferior, as a shut-in kid with a baby face and a skinny frame. Rilu was thin, mind you, but he was athletic in a way where I definitely wouldn't call him skinny.

"What are you staring at?" he pointed out more than asked, watching me over our campfire.

Usually, we'd be stargazing, but the impenetrable canopy above prevented that. So we sat and talked between awkward silences. I had so much to ask that I didn't know where to begin.

The sparks of the fire danced across the edges of the trees. We had eaten a meal, and Rilu had shown me how to drain blood and remove organs from some strange boar-like creature beforehand. Which hadn't done wonders for my appetite, but I had come to care less over the past few days. For the same exceedingly obvious reasons I mentioned earlier.

"Who does it look like, pretty boy?" I teased, not exactly sure of a response to that. Usually, I'd just say that I was staring off into space and wasn't considering he was there, but there was no way he wasn't perceptive enough to call me out on that. Even if he wasn't, I wouldn't want to risk not just owning it.

"Call me that again and I'll let you get to the outpost on your own," Rilu deadpanned immediately, apparently confident enough in the threat to know it wouldn't just make me want to do it more.

I mostly knew he wouldn't actually leave me here, but I was not about to test that. It was a poor idea to annoy the one you're relying on to escort you through a dangerous magical world.

I just responded with a playful smile that didn't really say much. I coughed and changed the topic.

"So what's the Outpost like?" I asked.

"It changes by the year, depending on who's there. There's pretty consistently some Zokich technology- the blue people we saw on our way here- because they sponsor a lot of expeditions," Rilu responded quickly, once again happy to lord his knowledge over me.

"If it's all temporary bases, wouldn't the location change? How do you know we're heading to the right area? I know campgrounds can get pretty big."

"This is yearly, so it's quite well established. There's another reason, but you'll see that when we get there."

He gave me a similar look to the one he gave me before my Viewing. Saying that I was excited would have been an understatement.

-

I heard a rustling in a bush behind us a half-hour later, just before we were going to set up camp for the night. Rilu didn't even flinch, so he had either already known, didn't believe whatever it was to be a threat, or was trying to act cool.

Not wanting to risk the last of which being correct, I whipped my head around with little deliberation, in the middle of a sip of water. I spilled some over my shirt.

A Dragon around the same age as Rilu. Probably, I didn't know how they aged considering my sample size of one over two weeks, but I digress.

Illuminated by the last vestiges of our fire, I could tell that he had silky black hair cut short on the sides and wore a strained and fatigued but decidedly amicable expression. His eyes were a similar shade of onyx, as were his robe and horn. Singular. Unlike Rilu, he had but a single horn on his forehead, opaque and notably longer than Rilu's semi-crystalline antlers. Strangely, he also had some scales running along the sides of his arms and on the backs of his hands, which was the biggest difference I could see. At least, in regards to inhuman features.

He was also a bit more well built, with wider shoulders and an overall less dense frame that seemed somewhere between bodybuilder and gymnast. With a different outfit, he would have seemed like a draconic fuckboy, to give you an idea of his general aesthetic.

Not letting me adjust to a new person, the newcomer began to speak.

Trying to appear nonchalant, I took another slow sip of water.

"You spent a bit more time in the Flats this year, didn't you? Here I had thought you had been caught up in the Storms. We were so happy when we overheard chatter about you in a Zokich facility," His voice was calm and unexceptional, not as haughty as I would have expected from a Dragon that seemed to have had less 'difficulties' than the other one I knew.

Then again, that was just assuming Rilu's situation was a rare case. Hell, if they were friends, they could have bonded over a shared struggle... I stopped myself there. I'd figure it out.

I felt a wave of heat from behind me and tossed my focus back on Rilu. His expression remained neutral, but his eyes were shifting and crackling, fire roaring beneath.

Figuratively, mind you, even if I still wasn't too confident in saying that for sure.

I didn't know if the passion was fury or panic or even desire. It was hard to tell without the context of the rest of the face, which the antlered Dragon kept well under control.

"It's been... A long time, Luo. Why have you come here? How did you find me?" Rilu questioned. His vocalization didn't contain any hints either, calm and measured. Too calm and measured, actually, considering his normal demeanor, to the point where it felt strange. I subconsciously backed to the side, knowing I had no part in this reunion.

"Your family asked me to communicate with you and confirm your status. They still want you back, you know?"

"I know all too well. I'll ask again, how did you know to find me here?"

Alright, not friends.

"We were only one of the parties dispatched. It's good money and experience. You were spotted here last year, so we figured to give it a shot."

"Why are they still pursuing me? If I wanted to come back, I would come back."

"That's for them to know. If I were to guess, I would say that it's because you aren't untalented, and they don't want the First Flame Path to escape."

"If me leaving gave them that much anxiety, they would not have allowed it in the first place."

"I told you, I don't know. It was just a guess. I'll head back to the Citadel, I just need to confirm one thing for my report."

The atmosphere grew tense, Rilu signalled the man- Luo, apparently- to continue with a hand gesture I didn't know. He spoke, and the tension became suffocating, ready to be released. Which absolutely wasn't ideal, considering that he appeared to be at least on a similar level of power to the Duelist.

"Who is that?"

"A traveling companion."

"So you- a Dragon of noble heritage- are providing for a... Hornless? And taking him with you?"

"He is under my protection," Rilu clarified.

I backed further to the side, but I bumped into a tree as I did. The bark seemed like a wall, and I didn't have the time to back away further. A fight was coming. They both knew it. And I had no idea why.

He spoke once more.

"I'm sure your family would be... Curious to hear about this person."

I hadn't felt emotion this intense projected through an Imprint before. Even during an awakening. The weight that the black-featured Dragon exerted on my senses was palpable. I could feel the threat in my soul.

A chill ran down my spine.

It needed to run down more than just my spine for me to realize it wasn't entirely in my own head.

Luo's Imprint felt more... Real than Rilu's, like sloth made manifest. It felt as if the world slowed as he gazed at me, and I found my vision growing darker. Water in the air froze around me, and I felt my small movements slow. The water I had spilled prior froze my shirt, touching my skin with biting cold.

I couldn't even panic. By the time I realized what was going on, it was already too late. We had come so far. I moved my head to look at Rilu, not willing to die, but knowing I would not likely remain conscious for the fight. He seemed conflicted and doubtful, though his expressions were too tight to say for sure.

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Or so I thought.

The fiery-eyed Dragon seemed to snap. I had never seen him seem unsure of himself before now, and it didn't last long. He either had something on Luo or he didn't want to look bad in front of me. My lips were dry and blue, but I gave him the best approximation of a grin I could muster.

And then a familiar red-orange blew away my doubts and lethargy. My attention returned as old burns were seared anew.

A fine mist covered me for an instant as the frost across my body sublimated, the source of the sudden heat's light making it glitter as it thinned and dispersed.

The fire died, and I wiped the tears from my eyes- which I would have sworn was just melted ice to anyone- and saw from my spot to the side an unharmed Luo. He had an arm held out in front of him. He didn't even appear warmed. Remnant sparks of a cool-colored flame fell away from his outstretched hand.

I also saw a very strained Rilu. Not from exertion, but likely from holding back, considering I had seen him do much more with far less effort.

"I didn't want to believe it, but you truly are protecting him, aren't you?" Luo spoke in mock disbelief. I hated people like that, who would insult peoples' choices by feigning denial. It instilled in the subject a special kind of shame.

Of course, I didn't dare to get involved; the aftermath of Rilu, holding back, had hurt me. Not to mention he wasn't in control of his powers. I'd do more harm than good. Hell, I already was, and that was just out of proximity.

But I did give him my angriest stare as I began to back around the tree, resolving myself to stay the hell out of it so that my apparent protector could do his job.

I heard Luo snap his fingers and saw one of the sparks fly from his hand and between my legs. I stopped just in time to feel the energy being sapped out of the air behind me. A cool blue light tinged my surroundings while I cast a shadow amidst. Gusts howled for an instant, swirling across the grass.

Okay, message received.

"Now, we wouldn't want you getting away. It's disrespectful to abandon someone who... protects you," the words Luo spoke were laced in poison. Especially the prospect of protection, as if it were somehow dishonorable.

Perhaps it was, or it just was to do so to a Hornless. I wondered why Rilu remained, were that the case. Either Luo was racist, or Rilu was more progressive than I had anticipated.

"Enough games, Luo. This is between you and me," the blonde Dragon spat in a tone that made me blush. Not entirely in secondhand embarrassment, mind you.

It was comforting to be fought for, however much I wished that I wasn't just a liability. It seemed more than likely he was only even doing all of this for me as a point of pride. After all, what had I given him in return? More internal conflict as I punched above my emotional weight class?

"If you've had enough games, why don't you use Burstline? You were always so proud of it, and this would be the perfect situation," the dark-scaled combatant almost growled. His face twisted into a predatory smile as his suspicions were confirmed. It was rare that Rilu's expression faltered, so it was painfully apparent that he had problems with his Skill.

As far as I could tell, Rilu's advantage lied in said Skill. I had seen him do far more with it than Luo had, and the latter seemed likely to be more advanced than the former in terms of their Level. At least, going off of what I knew about Rilu's setbacks in that area.

I nearly hit myself for worrying about yet more speculation. I knew virtually nothing about Dragon society or Imprints other than their existence. This would get me nowhere, and it certainly wouldn't save my ass.

"So you can't use your Skill well, and you aren't even at your second class. What makes you think you have the right to protect anyone?" Luo asked rhetorically in an amused tone.

"Quiet," Rilu actually growled. He usually had more words than that. His expression remained that of tepid anger, but his eyes worriedly darted back and forth between the fireplace, the parts of our once soon-to-be tent strewn about, me, and the wisp of blue flame darting about Luo's hand. It was the only spark still around, growing paler. We both knew something was coming.

Glowing red circuits erupted across Rilu's hands, flames and constructs of light leaking out like a hologram of molten lava, creating an outline of feral claws. The outline of magmatic light solidified into crimson scales. He lowered his stance and bent his legs as he moved his hands- er, claws- up into a fighting stance. Well, I was pretty sure that was what it was, it could have-

I stopped that thought very quickly. Who knew a likely life-threatening situation was good for self-improvement.

Luo was startled for a moment, but it quickly reoriented into a bitter frustration. The man truly was expressive, perhaps to make up for the fact that his dark eyes couldn't say much.

"A compelling argument, but no," the one-horned Dragon spoke back, his voice tinged with exactly the tone you'd assume from his face.

Then, the spark above Luo's hand disappeared. The world turned just a shade darker and a chilling draft kept me on edge. Even Rilu seemed slower. It wasn't as intense, no frost formed around me this time, but it covered a massive area. Even beyond the boundaries of our campground, the leaves seemed to rustle slower than they should at the passing wind borne of a change in air pressure.

Rilu didn't seem surprised, but his shoulders slumped in lost confidence. I needed to find an opening to leave. I didn't know what the displays of power in this glorified staring contest meant. Or, I didn't know what they meant beyond 'Leaf's life is in danger'.

No more words were exchanged. The darkness came in full force when the campfire was fully snuffed out, only to moments later be replaced by a streak of light from Rilu's end. In that flash, I saw an image burned into my short-term memory, a clash resulting in Luo being thrown back, his arms held up in a defensive cross, scales out, but glowing red at the touch of Rilu's full claws.

Based on the force I had heard ringing, I expected Luo to be thrown back into a tree or bush. I had planned to escape to a safer range when I heard him land, but I never did. Instead, the only sound that I heard was that of a short grunt and the squelching of dirt. At the impact I could feel in my bones from at least 5 meters away, he was merely pushed back.

Another light came, this one a ghastly blue, shaped like a drill. Heading straight for me.

Trailed by a solid knife of red, warped in shape and spinning on an odd trajectory. I tried to move out of the way.

I think that this was what people meant when they said your life flashed before your eyes. I had been close to death many times before, but it was never so sudden, and now I was faced with everything I had ever done, with no distractions. Of everything I had yet to do, most painfully of all. And everything that I was.

All in the span of the same moment where I needed to do something about it.

So a third flame joined the fray, one that only I could feel. The one burning inside of me.

I kept my focus on that.

A burst of blue flame contrasted by orange sparks filled my view. I had been saved, but the poorly constructed knife was now flying toward me. It had been deflected directly toward my heart.

But it was only the blue flame that had been snuffed.

It was mere feet away now. I couldn't react in time to move out of the wat, it was moving at the speed of an arrow. I couldn't even track it.

I was stuck in that moment. I don't think that I was really thinking at this point, just grasping through my synapses. But here's my approximation of the feelings that pushed me on through it:

My most coherent thought was that I knew that there had to be something I could do. To save my life would be to prove to Rilu he could go all out. To prove that I could be more than dead weight. That his resolve to protect was not a dead end.

It was a lot of pressure. But I had dealt with worse very recently. Too often at that.

So I went in the direction the pressure was pushing me. I knew what I had available. The canteen in my hands.

Well, that was useless. I somehow doubted that a bit of water would even slow a magical fire-knife, let alone save me. If I couldn't even lean out of the way, I sure as hell wouldn't be able to pop the cap and extinguish anything.

And that was all. I truly didn't have anything else. I had gained nothing in this world but its beauty, no magical powers, no god-slaying swords, no vassals, no strength except for the one person I chanced upon. None that I could call my own.

Except...

Except for that one Skill.

The useless Skill that sometimes gave me a bit of insight, memory, or a better word to use. If even that. It merely made my mind clearer.

Perhaps I was underestimating it, perhaps it was my inheritance from humanity. It had embodied the stories I told Rilu, perhaps it allowed us to grow closer. But there were still boundaries between us, and there was still a missing part here, too.

It was my only card.

So I looked further. The skill was one of the mind's eye, expanding its gaze.

I strained my mind to see if I could push at the magic with my mind.

No dice.

And I was running out of time, I couldn't build that effort back again before I would truly become unable to do anything.

I tried a different route. I sought what felt reasonable, not what I needed. What could I do with a superpowered imagination in a fight?

The answer came easier than it should have as I was reminded of a certain demon.

Awareness. To keep everything around me in mind at all times, to predict what was to come and analyze what was.

To create an image of everything.

Perhaps I wouldn't become Laplace's Demon overnight, but as I felt for the supernaturally intimate feeling always at the back of my mind, it felt right.

My Imprint swirled, and I saw things at a deeper level for a moment. I saw how it was all connected on that level, that through networks of causality past, present, and future became one.

I followed that web around me, feeling my consciousness ebb and flow through everything. The world slowed once again. For me this time.

I saw the future that awaited me. A scream, unfathomable pain, and a cauterized wound straight through my heart.

I saw my surroundings. I could see and smell and hear and feel and truly perceive everything in a way I had never before.

I saw the patterns, where everything came and went from. The beautiful and fathomless depths of reality.

I found what was available once again, this time searching in every new way I had found and yet another answer came. The canteen was on the edge of something, and I prodded at it with my mind that felt as if it were everywhere.

It flowed back, sending me what it needed. I felt an oasis in the desert, a small bastion of life and safety in a hostile universe. A beacon to strive toward that will help everything end up alright.

I agreed with it, and the canteen's Imprint crossed a threshold. It warped and twisted. I pushed further, amplifying its transformation. A bright white set all eyes on me, the flame Luo had prepared to send at Rilu burning out as the former lost focus. Before my companion had even seen it. Did it count as saving someone if their situation was my fault in the first place? Ah, well, it didn't matter.

I did nothing more than 'saving' him. Nothing.

The knife pierced my chest and collapsed into a short-lived flare. I didn't allow my mind to white out from the pain. Because I would live this time.

I knew now that awakenings allowed an Imprint to manifest more greatly for a moment, just as I had managed to find the right way to move the Catalyst to evolution with no experimentation. The new power of the Canteen sang in my perception.

I would need to come up with a new name, but I didn't have the time now.

A man possessed, I calculated my movements, not allowing myself to breathe or err.

A latticework of burning green veins set the world to a neon cast, but I didn't admire the appearance of my 'creation'. I flicked it open and, with the last of my willpower, poured it down my throat.

I glowed with the same green veins and I stood up with a stumble.

I twisted my mouth into a smile I hoped was suitably intimidating while I was still illuminated.

The pain disappeared, and so did all of my burn marks and scars. I felt myself grow stronger and healthier and my new power showed me their expressions with crystal clarity. That was probably the most satisfying part.

My Imprint funneled itself through reality for an instant to display four screens.

-

Skill: [Visualization Lv. 2] has been upgraded into Skill: [Gradient Lv. 1]

-

-

[Gradient Lv. 1]

Your deft awareness of your own Imprint has allowed you to see the world and peer beyond its boundaries. Everything within your Imprint is used to create a mental image encompassing every sense. With some focus, you can peer into the Imprint of any object within.

*However, if your senses grow too powerful, your mind will be unable to handle that input.

*However, if your Imprint is on the same frequency as another, you will encounter interference.

*Skill upgrades unavailable before you achieve a Class.

-

-

You have awakened your Bloodline. You have awakened your Talent. You can now undergo a Class Trial after choosing one of the following Classes:

Scholar, Enchanter, Ranger

-

With a new level of control, I sent them to the side, not dismissing them. I would make them know very well that I had awakened.

"I'll leave the rest to you," I said sardonically.

And then I turned tail and ran.