Chapter 6

Danny sat in the prayer chamber with his Status screen open. Aspen hovered in front of him as Danny relayed his contents. Now that the System had patched he could open and close the window at will. Aspen explained that, since he was a cultivator, the System would track his cultivation progress. He would not have access to the Leveling system. Aspen had more input to provide when Danny mentioned that he had the Beastmaster Class.

“Hm. Beastmaster is definitely a rare Class, especially as the first one, but not unheard of. Never trained one before. Strange though, that, by itself, shouldn’t have resulted in an anomaly.” Danny didn’t mind much. He felt that with his experience at the pet store and his dream of being a veterinarian, an animal focused class was fine with him. His mind wandered to the fox in the woods as he continued to read off his Status.

“Stop.” Aspen interrupted. “Read that last part again.”

“Bloodline: King of Beasts.” Danny answered. It seemed to Danny that it must go with the Beastmaster class in some way.

“That would do it.” The guide said.

He hadn’t spoken of it, but from the summary of the [Bulwark of the Keope Ti-Wa] and the presence of the literal fairy in front of him, Danny had gathered that humans were not the only inhabitants of the Multiverse. “Why?”

“Each race has something that makes them unique. Identify your race in the Status screen.” Danny did as he was told.

[Race: Human Humans are the most common race in all the Multiverse. Humans have the racial trait Adaptability. Humans gain Levels and cultivate at an increased rate. Additionally, while Humans do not have any inherent bloodlines, they have the ability to absorb the bloodlines of other creatures through specialized rituals, treasures, or donation.]

“It says humans don’t have bloodlines.” The fairy nodded along as Danny spoke. “But I do.”

“Hence the anomaly.” Aspen finished. They both looked at each other. “Well,” Aspen started, “what does it do?” Danny Identified.

[Bloodline: King of Beasts (Pure) Individuals of this bloodline will find that they have greater control over the myriad beasts of the Multiverse. When forming bonds or soul contracts with a beast, the Soul of those with this bloodline is treated as three times greater. Grants the King’s Tribute Ability to the Beastmaster Class.]

[Class Ability: King’s Tribute When forming a new Soul Bond or Contract with a beast, gain a unique Class Ability based on the beast’s characteristics for the duration.]

“That is a very powerful bloodline. Pure too, which means that you are the first and, probably, only one with this bloodline. Potentially in the whole Multiverse… An anomaly indeed.” Aspen was deep in thought. “Stats please.”

“Uh, okay.” Danny was confused on the finer points of the bloodline and its ability, but he pushed that out of his mind as he began to rattle off his stats. “Body is 5 and then there is a second number, 8.5. Mind is the same. Soul is 9 with a—”

“Hm.” Aspen interrupted again. “Sorry. Continue.”

“Soul is 9 and the second number is 15. What do the second numbers in parentheses mean?” The guide was thinking. It took a moment for him to answer.

“The first set, Danny, is your base values. The second set is after the multiplier from your Levels or, in your case, cultivation is applied. By the time you finish Awakening, your stats will be three times their base.” Danny could clearly see that his Soul stat was higher than the others, and that the gap would only widen as his cultivation furthered, but he wasn’t sure why Aspen seemed so shocked. Unless…

“A 9 isn’t bad, right?” Danny was suddenly very nervous.

“No.” Aspen chuckled. “Not at all, a 9 is basically impossible. Human stats range from 3 to 7 in Body, Mind, and Soul. 7 is peak genetics, 8 is a freak of nature. 9 is… an anomaly.” Aspen eyed Danny up and down, as if seeing him for the first time. “You have potential. For now, let’s finish the review of your Status.”

Aspen answered Danny’s questions about the remaining portions of the Status screen. His System functions were powers granted by the System itself. He had access to Identify and Soul Contract. He already understood Identify, Soul Contract, however, was a different story. It was similar to Soul Bond, the Beastmaster Ability, but while Soul Bond could only affect beasts with a weaker Soul than Danny, Soul Contracts could be used on any being that possessed a Soul, regardless of the relative strength. King’s Tribute and his staff technique were things that Danny didn’t ask any other questions about, but he was curious why he was limited to four skills.

“So you don’t stretch yourself thin” The guide explained that Danny would have to master and alter each skill to be in line with his Path. Something that would become clear to Danny in the future. The System helped optimize the skills you learned, but fine-tuning them would be entirely up to Danny. He basically had the training wheels on right now.

A sudden wave of exhaustion crashed over Danny. His train of thought was derailed and he could not, for the life of him, get it back on track. This breaking through stuff is hard work Danny thought dreamily. His eyelids were heavy and Danny was not able to stop their drooping. Danny lowered his head down onto the prayer mat. It did little to cushion him. Danny gave in to the fatigue. No blanket, a breeze blew into the chamber. All it accomplished was causing Danny to roll over onto his left side. He was asleep within moments.

Danny woke up refreshed. He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood. The light coming through the window told Danny that it was early in the morning. He would normally sleep for a little longer, but he was feeling wide awake. Danny quickly stripped down and changed, wishing for a warm shower. He grabbed the staff that was now never more than a few feet away and went to the courtyard. His morning routine was calming to him nowadays. Familiar.

The wind whistled as it was parted by his staff. Danny rehearsed his forms with the practiced grace of a dancer. Once he finished the basic forms he began to explore the various combinations and transitions between them. This was his favorite part. Every new sequence was like a eureka moment. Danny now understood the genius and study that must have gone into this technique. The summary made it sound whimsical and unserious, like it was created in a few days based on a striking scene of a tree in a storm. Maybe it was, and the creator was just that much of a prodigy. He wondered if he would ever reach that peak.

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As Danny practiced, he moved throughout the courtyard, fully exploring the movement capabilities of his form. Stepping to the side, spinning to the left, but each movement felt off. Like it was choreography rather than something that would be useful in combat. Danny knew that merely going through the motions would not be enough to truly progress, but he just couldn’t bring himself to picture a real fight. Even imaginary, it felt like a betrayal to who he was, who he wanted to be. Or more accurately, who he wanted to not be.

An orange blue rocketed out of the trees. The fox ran straight at the staff twirling man. Danny stood stupefied as it squawked towards. He was surprised, but he was more confused by the sound it made. Did foxes always sound like that? The orange-furred animal ran between Danny’s legs and cowered behind him, as if he was a shield. Danny was wondering what could have caused the fox to act in such a way when he saw one of the Horrors breach the clearing. It was one that had been disguised as a rabbit, Danny could tell by the deformed pelt that still clung to its body. It skittered right toward them.

Danny contemplated running inside the temple. Surely the guide would handle the monster, but the panicked squawking behind him made him reconsider. Would the guide save the fox too? That wasn’t something that seemed in character for the fairy. Would he even save Danny? He had mentioned that he was allowed very limited interference. With all the failed attempts at practical training, maybe Danny was out of get-out-of-jail-free cards. The doubts began to pile up.

“Guide! Sir Fairy! We need help out here!” Danny shouted as he readied his staff. He waved it in front him to ward off the monster. It was ineffective. The monster sprung at Danny in its signature pounce. Danny ducked under it and rolled to the side. The creature slid to a stop as it flew past its target, but it turned around, undeterred. Danny continued to try to dissuade the monster, but it kept coming. It leapt at him over and over, missing every time. Eventually, it settled for easier prey. The fox let out a cry as it became the object of the Horror’s hunt. A panicked chase soon erupted.

“Seriously! Help!” Danny swung the staff horizontally as the fox passed under his legs. The staff connected with one of the monster's legs with a sickening snap. The monster was sent rolling in the grass. It made a low grinding sound as it rose to its feet. The broken leg drug uselessly behind it. It didn’t seem to care. It hobbled forward. The leech-like mouth snapped ferociously. The fox trembled behind him, whimpering. “Stop! Get away!” Danny thrusted the staff at the monster repeatedly. The warning shots were ignored. The monster stalked forward, calling Danny’s bluff. Danny stopped each thrust short.

“I don’t want to hurt you. Ju— Just go away!” Danny practically begged. But the crippled creature was relentless. Danny jabbed it in the torso and it stumbled backward. But the reprieve was short-lived. The monster once again crept towards the pair. Danny tried everything he could think of. He threatened it with thrusts and wild swings. He prodded it with jabs or smacked it in the body. Nothing would deter it. The thing just kept coming no matter the injuries. Suddenly it stopped. Danny figured it must have finally given up. Then it launched itself in a final gambit. Falling thunder. Danny acted on instinct. The monster’s head squelched as the end of the staff flattened it. Black blood coated it and pooled in the grass making dark mud.

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Danny crept up the front steps. If he could just make it through the entryway without him noticing, he would be fine. He’d be over it in the morning anyways, but it was always the moments right after a disaster that were the worst. Danny turned the knob completely before slowly opening the door. The back door was creaky and the hinges caught when it closed, making a loud noise. As counterintuitive as it was, the front door was the best way to sneak in. One foot in the house, Danny began to silently close the door behind as he crossed the threshold. He could hear arguing in the kitchen. He didn’t bother trying to listen in. It was the same every time. Don’t creak, please don’t creak. It wouldn’t be the first time the door betrayed him. The door closed without incident. He was now in the living room, the stairs lying just ahead. Danny didn’t dare breathe yet. He still needed to get upstairs, the third step groaned, and the railing whined when you put weight on it. Danny was so close, but he couldn’t afford to be careless.

Danny froze, the fight in the other room had ceased. Danny’s face began to tremble as he held his breath. Deciding that it was nothing, the two in the kitchen started it up again. With a measured exhale, the redness left Danny’s face. He looked up the mountain of stairs, ready to make his ascent. At the top of the stairs was his sister. Her eyes lit up as she saw him, undiscovered. “Danny!” She whispered. Her tone, however, lacked the subtlety that had been beaten into Danny. Her expression turned horrified as she realized what she had done. There was no escape for him now.

“Danny! I think we need to have a talk, son.” Voice furious, Danny’s father exited the kitchen. He walked into the living room. The man’s nostrils always flared when he was angry, it was almost comical. If he had been angry at someone else, that is. His father had a piece of paper in one hand and a belt in the other. “What’s this?” He shook the report card in Danny’s direction, it hung, crumpled in a white-knuckled fist. Danny knew what was on the report card, this was the most dangerous day of the year. The end of the semester. “Come on, Danny. I know you can do better than this.” It was the same game every time.

“I’ll do better next semester.” Danny had to admit, it was a pretty weak response, but it wouldn’t change what would happen next, so he steeled himself instead of thinking up an excuse.

“Good. I can’t let you off that easy though. No son of mine is going to settle for half-rate. You are better than this, Danny. You want to be a vet don’t you? You need to get into a school for that, and we sure as hell don’t have the money to foot the bill.” Nothing that Danny hadn’t heard before. And then came the dreaded, “Son, this hurts me more than it hurts you, believe me.” Danny’s father began to come closer, belt now gripped in both hands, paper fluttering to the floor.

“Bullshit! You like this you sick fuck.” Danny was so fed up with this song and dance. He played like he was the one getting whipped with a belt over B’s. B’s! Dannt had never taken home less than a B his entire life, but it was never enough.

“Danny!’ His mother reprimanded from the kitchen. “Language!”

“No, it’s quite alright.” His father released the belt from his grip. He began to loop it back into his pants. “Our little Danny is all grown up now.” He fastened the belt around his waist and walked closer. “He is a man now.” He put his hand on Danny’s shoulder. “So we’ll handle this like men.” His fist met Danny’s jaw.

“Rob! Stop! He’s just a kid!” Danny stumbled backward. He had been about to say something before the punch landed. He tasted blood. He raised his hand to his lip and it pulled away crimson. Danny stood there, stunned, as Rob strode over.

“It’s what he wants. If the boy wants to be an adult now— quit listenin’ to his pops— I’m happy to oblige. We settle this man-to-man.”

Rob’s next blow landed hard in Danny’s gut. He crumpled inward, sputtering. Danny covered his stomach with both hands as he coughed. The sucker punch left Danny reeling. And wide open. Danny was sent to the floor with a thud by a punch to his right eye. Danny lifted himself up on one arm and regarded his father coolly. With his eye rapidly swelling he looked towards his mother. Her misty gaze refused to meet his.

“Go upstairs. You’ll clean that up tomorrow.” Rob gestured to the blood and spittle on the living room rug. “Think hard on whether or not you are ready to be treated like a man.” Rob left the living room without looking back. The master bedroom door slammed. Danny climbed to his feet. He shuffled to the first step.

“I—” His mother began. She reached out to offer a comforting hand. Danny shrugged her off. The handrail protested as Danny used it to support his ascent. He didn’t care. No reason to be quiet now. The third step creaked. Bella, his sister, stood, locked in place, at the top of the stairs. Danny kept going.

“I didn’t mean to—” Tears were running down her cheeks. She was much quieter, this time. “I’m sorry.” She choked out. “Danny, I—” He slid past her. It wasn’t her fault, he knew that. But it was still too fresh to forgive. She flinched as Danny’s bedroom door clicked shut.