I blinked and stared at nothing. Then I blinked again, and my vision started to clear.

As my eyesight cleared, a wave of exhaustion hit me, and my body ached all over.

"Uggh…"

"See, he's alive," came Devon's voice.

"Are you sure? I don't feel like it."

"Can you get up?"

Can I?

I tried to stand by bracing my arms at my sides, but my left arm screamed in such agony that I released another groan.

After regaining control, I flopped my head back onto the sand. "No… Maybe. Give me a minute or two. What about Alice? Is she alright?"

"I'm alive," she said in a flat voice.

A weight lifted off my shoulders. I actively forced myself not to replay the scene of the monster hammering her body into the ground. In fact, I forced myself not to replay a lot of what had just happened.

Ah, crap. The people.

Despite my body's protests, I leaned on my good side and slowly sat up. The effort brought me to a wheeze, but I ignored the pain. I turned my head slowly, trying to pierce the darkness.

Damn. All I see is sand.

I tried to stand, but my leg wouldn't budge, so I settled for gently twisting my torso. My ribs creaked, and something wet ran down my side.

"Guys. Alice. Do you think any of the people are alive? The kid, they..."

My voice trailed off when I remembered what I did to one of the puppets. Memories played of seeing my axe cut through flesh, the feeling of having warm human blood hose me down… I wanted to scream.

"Cain. Stop," Devon said.

I couldn't breathe for a second, and I squeezed my leg, sending a jolt up my spine. It hurt, and that was good. I needed the distraction.

"I'm… fine."

He didn't argue back.

"Alice? Are you able to move?"

"No. Legs shattered. Will take a while for regeneration to kick in."

So we're all broken little things. Man, that boss worked us over.

Something frozen hit my arm, and I flinched, causing my muscles to flex involuntarily. After biting my tongue to keep the scream in, I shifted around to find my summon sitting with its head cocked.

I hadn't noticed it at first, but it was small, its form barely the size of a golden retriever.

"Hey, buddy. You helped me out back there, thank you."

Its fur was cold, but I embraced the feeling as it tickled my skin. Its pseudo-fur wavered, and my wolf leaned into the scratch before padding closer and licking my face.

Should probably fix your size.

I willed mana into the connection, but I found something odd. The pool inside my chest, the great lake of fire that kept me warm inside, felt… empty.

Did I use that much? Is this why I feel so weird?

Until I probed the core inside my body, I didn't realize how cool everything felt. I was so used to being permanently warm over the past week that, without it, everything felt much colder than it should.

I still had enough mana to feed it to my summon, but it wouldn't be regaining its full size anytime soon.

If my wolf cared, it didn't show it. It pushed its body into mine, allowing me to give it a good hug. As I scratched it, I noticed its feet were stable, standing away from a splotch of darkness on the ground. It was nearly impossible to see due to the color of the sand around it, but I noticed a pattern of rough-looking bumps on the surface.

What's this?

I reached down and grabbed the long sheet of hide. It felt abrasive but cold, alarmingly so, as if someone had laid a cool drink filled with ice on its surface. Turning it over, I rubbed it between my fingers and finally realized what it reminded me of.

Oh! This is the creature...

It sank back into the sand.

The black leather-like material was the remains of the creature. I had touched the creature's corpse. My wolf cocked its head and stared at it.

Does it want it? Is it like a shadow-wolf chew toy?

"Hey." My wolf turned to me, and I rubbed at its ears. "Do you want it? You're staring at it pretty hard."

"Cain? What are you doing?" Devon asked.

"I don't know. The… creature, whatever it's called, turned into this weird leather-like texture. My summon is staring at it."

He didn't respond for the longest time. I was nearly ready to open my mouth and repeat what I said, but then he spoke. "When did you activate your skill?"

"My skill? During the hunt for the missing child. I never had an excuse to undo it, and I forgot.

"I see."

And we're back to cryptic Devon. Fine. If he wants to be indirect, then I won't bother asking.

"Well?" I whispered to the wolf. "If you want it, go on. You deserve it."

My wolf met my eyes, and I paused. Its eyes swirled, spinning like the void in my head when I envisioned the spell circle. For a moment, I saw an intelligence that went beyond acting like a big, loyal dog.

The wolf nodded its head slowly and licked my face with its cold tongue before standing back up and shuffling over to the skin. It sniffed once, then twice, and lowered its head.

I expected it to snap it up, but instead, it gently grabbed it between its teeth and spun around to face me. The long stretch of black hide coiled on the ground in loops, but I noticed something weird around the spots where my wolf's teeth sunk into the material. Where it should have been hardened leather, solid to the touch, it began to soften back into whispy shadows around my wolf's mouth.

Again, it looked at me with intelligent eyes, a spark that I never noticed before.

It raised its snout to the air and released a howl that filled the cavern. The howl lasted for ten seconds, and I felt something poke at our connection. It shuddered, and I gasped, and then it continued until the discomfort forced me to rock backward. Sand cushioned my head, but I shut my eyes and focused on the mana inside my chest.

A whirlpool.

The mana drained away and sank into the connection, leaving my body like a flood that left me hollow. I tried to breathe but could only cough. Once the last of the mana left, my core dimmed. My limbs shaked and spasmsed as my teeth clacked together.

Ice entered my chest like a shard of glass. I squeezed my sternum, but the pain continued until I heard screaming escape my lips. My fist banged against the ground until the feeling passed.

The frigid cold turned into fire, swirling inside my core, igniting the inert battery. After the shaking stopped and I could feel my limbs regain strength, I noticed something different about the connection between me and my summon.

As I gave mana, it returned some to me, a permanent exchange that favored my wolf, but an exchange nonetheless. I opened my eyes and saw my wolf slowly stand up, its legs digging furrows into the sand.

"What... was that?"

It didn't answer but looked up, the monster's remains still in its mouth.

Oh.

The void was gone, replaced by two swirling pits of flames raging in a shifting tide of orange and yellow.

A piece of the hide disappeared down my wolf's throat with a single chomp. It used its strong claws to hold down the skin as it continued to tear and swallow massive chunks. Within seconds, the entirety of the hide was consumed, leaving only my wolf and its increasingly wavering form.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

Whatever magic had kept the shadows as fur began to unspool. My summon became a haze, then a cloud, leaving behind a set of glowing eyes that watched me as a thrum began to build like a staccato. It took me a second to realize it was my own heartbeat.

Bump. Bump Bump!

An explosion of rainbow colors overtook the void cloud, and I couldn't move as pressure crushed me in an embrace. Constriction around my shoulders alerted me to my cloak, which stopped once I remembered to breathe.

The rainbow shimmer gave way and formed into lines of golden text.

[Alert] You have slain: Erlking's Avatar, Enthralled Kobolds EvR x4, Corrupted Beast...

…

…

…

Calculating Hunt Reward

Applying Strain-Modifier: -25%...

…

…

…

[Alert]: Diverted excess to Lore Matrix…

…

…

…

[Alert]: Excess Rerouted to skill: Summon Shadow Wolf

…

…

[Alert]: Pact has been made. Exchange of Lore accepted.

And, as always, the lines disappeared, fading away for a split second, long enough for me to see that my summon, which had been a black haze, was now an egg. It swirled like a vortex, a pool of darkness so black that it made my eyes water.

The golden lines reappeared.

A bond is one that entwines the soul. To exchange a piece is to forever tie your strings into their tapestry. Your Lore has been irrovocably changed as well as your familiar. Grow and thrive.

Continue the Endless Hunt.

[Alert] Skill changed; new ability granted: Summon Shadow Wolf→ Summon Familiar (Freki)

The egg grew, and I felt mana pouring into it. I wasn't sure how, but I saw it coming in like a waterfall, dripping the energy into the top of the egg as it stretched down from the darkness above.

Flames joined the shadows within. A blinding, brilliant fire, one that shone like the sun, swirled into the depth of the egg until they condensed into a core spinning in the middle of the maelstrom.

As the spinning began to slow to a crawl, it started to reverse, spinning in the opposite direction. The connection stung and tugged until a force knocked me back into the sand.

"Uuf!"

It didn't hurt. Uncomfortable, but not painful.

The golden text reappeared, and I read the lines as my body adjusted to the influx of foreign energy inside my core.

Hunt Rewards:

Title Granted: [String Cutter], Ability Granted: [Shadow Bond], (Level Up! Level 4 Available)

…

[Alert]: Auxiliary Title Slot Unlocked.

Stats gained from new title: Intelligence +2, Agility +1, Luck +1

As the notification flashed before disappearing, I rushed to open my status sheet.

Name: Cain Veldman

Title: Crimson Hunter

Auxiliary Title: String Cutter

Level: 3+

Stats:

* STR: 15

* AGI: 15 (+1)

* CON: 16

* INT: 14 (+2)

* WIS: 13

* LUK: 15 (+1)

Skills Unlocked:

* Summon Familiar (Freki)

Passive Skills:

* Ember Soul

* Shadow Bond

There was a lot to take in, but more than anything, I closed the screen and watched as the egg descended to the ground. As it reached the sand below, the shell burst and expanded like an explosion.

A wave of heated air rushed towards us, and I closed my eyes as it lingered on my skin. The heat shifted to a cold chill that dug into my pores. As the last of the energy began to fade, a deep howl filled the silence. When I opened my eyes, I expected to see something, but instead, a black streak zipped into my face, and I felt it rush into my chest. A new feeling settled inside my core; it felt heavier.

I lifted up my shirt and stared at a small black tattoo directly above my sternum. It spun with wavering lines that never stilled long enough for me to get a good look at what runes they formed.

Oh this looks weird.

With the pulsing shadow egg gone, the cavern once again lay shrouded in darkness.

"Cain, when you're able to, check on the humans. If any of them survived, we'll take them to the church."

Crap. Forgot about them. That kid better be alive.

"And if they're dead?"

"We'll burn their corpses before we leave."

I shut my eyes.

You did what you had to do, Cain. Remember that.

----------------------------------------

I shoved another skewer into my mouth and tore off the meat from the stick. A few chairs away, a young couple sat with the boy with his arm in a sling. They never stopped touching him, as if they were afraid that if they let go, he'd disappear.

A wrinkled hand holding a plate blocked my view, and I looked up to see Thelassa's face looking at me expectantly. I tentatively reached out and accepted the plate. A single crisp cookie made it into my mouth, and I savored the explosion of sugar and berries.

"You know, Hunter. For all that you seem to enjoy traumatizing the townsfolk with the sight of your mangled arm, you have a good heart," she commented.

She watched the young boy talk to his parents as they desperately doted on him.

I finished the cookie and bit into another, letting the sugar melt in my mouth before speaking. "Starting to think that's a detriment in this job."

She chuckled, but it held little mirth. "Perhaps. I won't claim to know best; your life is vastly different from mine, after all. But know that the townsfolk who look at you like heroes do so for a reason."

After wiping the crumbs from my face, I slowly stood up and stretched. "Maybe. I guess I'll find out after a while. If we ever come back here, I'll give you my answer then."

The head priestess slid a cookie off the plate and bit into one, the sounds of muffled chewing filling the silence while I adjusted my belt and cloak.

"You didn't ask, but the other two are fine as well. The young man's family has stayed by his side like hungry hens. They'll be mothering him for days. And the woman has reunited with her husband and child. They'd thank you in person if you wanted to see them."

No way in hell.

I shook my head. "Nah, that's fine. We're heading out in the next few minutes. I just wanted to see how the kid's doing."

"He's doing great. It'll be hard on the parents, but it's good that none of the Erlking's victims remember what happened. Even young Seyenna is up and about, playing with Do'lby in the garden."

If the people we rescued ever remembered what happened, they surely wouldn't have wanted to meet the Grimms who broke their bones. Nightmare-free or not, knowing you were a puppet for some ancient monster would leave a scar on anyone's mind.

For a few more minutes, I enjoyed watching the boy play with his parents, and I reached down to enjoy the last cookie when Thelassa grabbed it before I could take it. She met my eyes with a wink and reached for something hidden in her robe.

Uh.

She pulled out a wax-paper-wrapped parcel tied together with green thread. Once more, I accepted the thing she handed me. As I held it up to sniff, the paper blocked out most of the scent, but I could still smell sugar and berries topped with hardened cream.

"Cookies?" I asked as I slipped the parcel into my satchel.

"Indeed. It's not much, but I hope they bring you joy," she responded. With grace that belied her age, she stood up and bowed deeply, with both hands clasped together as if in prayer. "Thank you once more, dear Grimm, for saving our town and my family from heartache."

I put on a polite smile and returned her bow with a shallower one before leaving the room. Even without eyes on the back of my head, I knew she stayed bowing well after I began moving down the hall.

Once in the main area, I dropped the smile and forced my shoulders to relax.

Adeline's right. We're mercenaries and monster hunters. I'm no hero, lady. A hero would have saved everyone.

My hood and face drew some looks from several townsfolk inside the church walls. Without turning my head, I flipped up my hood and strode out, keeping my eyes directly ahead. Once the setting sun engulfed me, I continued around the corner and found Devon leaning against the wall with Alice beside him.

"Ready to go?" Alice asked.

"Yeah. I could use a few days relaxing," I replied.

I will actually bite you if I don't, Devon.

Devon said nothing, and we took the side roads towards the village gate. Once we got into view of the entrance to town, I couldn't help but stare at the damage done to its walls. Large chunks were missing, while the entrance pathway sported several splotches of dried blood on its bricks.

The remaining guards noticed our approach and lined up. Some glared, more than before, and more than a few backed away with fear in their eyes. Only one leader greeted us, and he quickly called out for the rest of his men to salute.

Devon nodded once before ignoring the crowd, and we followed behind him, our matching cloaks flowing in the breeze. We didn't look back.

After a dozen minutes, I finally relaxed enough to lower my hood. I inhaled and enjoyed the smell of nature.

"I never asked, but what do you think will happen with the town leader? He's still in the church basement, right?"

"They'll hold him until the new leader arrives. The Grimm in the capital has already informed the city lord of his incarceration," Devon answered.

"Oh? And they're cool with that? I thought we don't deal with that stuff."

"If it concerns a village or town directly responsible for a sealed one, we do. And if the city lord demanded his release, the kingdom would need two replacements."

I shook my head and rubbed the spot on my chest that felt cool to the touch.

Let's hope the new guy is smarter than the last.

----------------------------------------

We finally reached the spot where the portal had dropped us off. It was an easy walk through the woods as we traversed it unmolested. Not even the birds would show themselves, and I could hear them fly away every time we neared.

As we moved into the small clearing, the familiar scent of roses hit my nose, and I grimaced.

"Please tell me we've met our poop collection quota."

"We already have enough, no need for more," Alice responded.

"Silence."

I stuck my tongue out and waited. Devon pulled out his coin necklace and dripped the blood. The same ritual as before, and he stepped back. The ground vibrated, and the roots began to grow into the familiar shape of the portal archway.

Rainbow lights scattered to the corners and shifted in hue until it turned into a mirror of Neina's cave. From the other side, I could see the green-haired woman standing with her arms crossed, waiting.

Devon looked back. "Go visit Astra and show her your new skill. She'll want an update for records."

I saluted and joined the two-person line behind the man.

Neina waved, and I waved back, but before Devon could step through, the image distorted and then shattered in a loud wailing that brought me to my knees.

What's going on?!

The sound suddenly stopped, and I looked up to see the roots of the archway burning, crumbling to black ash in a torrent of green fire.

"Devon!" I yelled and pointed.

He was already watching, standing up with a grim expression etched across his face.

"Damn…" he muttered.

More than anything in the last week, those words filled my stomach with lead.

A blazingly bright system notification popped up in the corner of my vision, stretching across my sight without my prompting.

[ALERT] EMERGENCY LOCKDOWN OF LOCAL NODES.

NEXUS LEYLINES CLOSED.

URGENT QUEST AUTOMATICALLY ACCEPTED.

…

…

…

[ALERT] NEW QUEST ACQUIRED: HUNT THE MONSTER THAT THREATENS THE NEXUS! ELIMINATE ALL Threats!

"Devon?" I whispered.

"Damn…"-