“What is this?” Asked Allan, not questioning Skoll’s way of storing things. He asked in a way, to fish out more information. Skoll could very well understand what this was.

“No idea,” Skoll answered, but to Allan's displeasure.

With that, Allan thought of something next. “It reminds me of bandannas that some blacksmiths wear. It prevents sweat from getting to their eyes.”

Allan never took a closer look at this cloth before. The first time he had seen it, it was a day before this, in his father's forge.

“In that case, you should treasure it.” Said Skoll in a meaningful way.

“Father stored unfathomable wealth inside. How can I get them?” Allan thought to himself before considering how to question Skoll about it later.

“Hop on. Let us continue on the journey. With the mountains and the roads like this, It will take longer than I expect.”

Allan took the cloth and put it around his neck like a scarf. Jumping up and climbing to his back, they returned to continue their journey. Still pondering about it. Allan decided that honesty was the best way.

“Actually Skoll. I have seen this bandanna before.”

“Really? Where?” Skoll wondered while thinking nothing of his questions.

“Father’s shop, of course. He put some things inside of it… I don't know how... He didn't see me as I looked.” Allan answered while being quite bold about it. What he told wasn't all that wrong by any means, but it was a truth he was most curious about.

“I see,” Skoll answered. He was a little surprised, as he knew something about it, but choosing not to tell, was better out of the respect for Clayton.

“Do you have some idea what it could be?” Allan pointed to his neck.

“You will figure it out. Maybe, someday, you will get a spark of an idea and find out about it. Your father may already describe it to you, but you are yet to figure that out. That, or telling something about it. You just don’t remember it for now.” Skoll explained little of what he assumed was right. He tried to sound vague as possible to not help Allan too much.

He respected Clayton’s decision to not teach his son much. His intentions were not clear to him, although it was counterproductive in the grand scheme of things. In the true fashion of an incredible beast, he had his fair share of experience of the bigger world as well.

“Spark? Do I need to find my own Spark?” Allan was lost in thoughts but understood it to some extent. He interpreted the things Skoll said in a good way, but in a way, which was too much for his current life. Not sure if it was intentional or not, but this lead could at least make some sense.

“Ahem, Alright then. Thank you.” Allan nodded to himself, while not asking further about this. It will take a while to figure out anything Spark related while having this Hammer emblem was all he needed to feel better.

“You don’t have to thank me. I don't agree with the stuff your father was doing at all. Try to live your life as best as you can get. That is the way of living in the grand universe I used to know. Train and one day, you could help your father.”

Allan nodded in approval and silence. For himself, rather than anything else.

“Do you want something else? Are you perhaps hungry after this constant running?” Allan asked while he got a sudden idea. Opening his bag on his side, he shuffled through it in a search of some food.

“No, I am not. I can go on without a meal for weeks.” Skoll argued but to no avail.

As he ran, Allan tossed a piece of smoked pork leg into the air before Skoll.

“I said no…” Skoll barked at him.

Munch!

“Damn..” Skoll couldn’t stop himself as he munched this little in a single moment. He wondered how long time ago he had food like this.

“Is it good?” Allan asked while hugging his neck.

“It is not bad,” Skoll replied, a bit embarrassed.

As they went on and on behind the mountains and paths with trees, they moved past and around a mountainous hill.

Suddenly, a burst of vines shot around Skoll's legs. Pillars of stones rose from the ground with vines and plants around them which shot toward him.

“Attack!?” Skoll forcefully changed the direction, but the sudden way of this attack cause him to be unable to dodge everything. In fact, he had no need to dodge, as this sort of attack meant nothing to him. It was only the problem of Allan, who could die because of this.

Skoll struggled very little at first and tore wines apart and deflected the stone pillars away with his legs.

“This is not a normal attack! Oh, no. This is bad.” He muttered from figuring something about the way it seemed.

More pillars smashed into his location, but he sidestepped out of them quickly and with grace. Skoll retreated back into the shade of trees, but he had already piqued the scent of something or someone. He could flee away from the mountain range, but it would be futile. Around a corner where the attack formed, there were obvious dangers. Much more obvious than some vines and stones.

“Allan will be in danger.” Skoll assumed and tried to think of the solution how to solve this.

From the shadows of that rocky mountain, 2 figures emerged. Old man and one younger-looking man. Lord Gao made this ambush to test Skoll’s abilities. It was a fairly successful try, and he determined the strength of his enemy in this short exchange.

“No. An ambush of an Immortal?” Startled, Skoll went alert. Staring at the people in front of him with a murderous look in his eyes.

“You! Get lost from this place or I will destroy you!” Growling Skoll shook the air before him, which traveled at them. He knew the overall power of his opponents in an instant, but he didn't shake them.

“It can talk?” Lord Gao was intrigued and even a bit shocked. This could mean a lot of things in his mind, and all of them were very interesting indeed. Only high-tier monsters who evolved could do so. Monsters who underway qualitative change of their lineage, or beasts from clans and families whose grand patriarchs were listed on the Heavenly List. All of these were quite terrifying opponents. Few could imagine their powers, but Lord Gao could! He knew about them. He met some but never hunted one.

“Whose family are you from, beast?” He asked while frowning, but not hesitating. He imagined a few possibilities and pieces of information about the Heavenly List of beasts was deep in his mind. Wolf's species was not all that defined there apart from the upper section of that list. “It is impossible for this wolf to be among them.” Lord Gao assumed since this planet wasn't that great regarding the flow of Energy. In fact, it was rather poor.

“None.” Skoll gave him his answer but still glared in hostility at them.

“Who in the bloody sky is this old man?? How in the bloody sun did Clayton get in their way after being in the lower mortal realm for 10 years?” Skoll wondered as he didn't expect such problems so early into his potential freedom.

“So, unaffiliated beast from unknown. Are you willing to serve your new master??” Lord Gao asked, while pronouncing his words calm, and at a slow pace. He grinned menacingly from ear to ear, as the confirmation of no affiliation meant his complete freedom to act against this monster. He also knew that it couldn't be fully unaffiliated, but that didn't matter. Taking a risk in these kinds of situations was more than worth it for him.

“Earlier test confirmed it has some ability, but so do I” Lord Gao felt confident, while it all stemmed from his abilities. He knew and came prepared, so all he had to do was to act according to it. He didn't exactly expect a beast with a high intellect, but the price would be worth it. Moreso than the troubles it came with it.

He couldn’t use a forceful slave seal for animals or beastly beings, and he knew it. They were usually more willing to face death than accept their fates as slaves or as entertaining pets. Forcing one by force was a strategy to get them to lose their will. Like that, they would accept their fate and serve someone instead of the freedom. Accepting someone more powerful than them was a law from primordial times, and it was shared in their lineage. It was the question of serving humans, which was a bit more problematic.

This was a law of the jungle. Where strong, ate the weak.

Lord Gao stepped forth while voicing his condition.

“Take the boy to my servant if you are willing to serve!”

“Human… you make me sick to my stomach… I wouldn’t even clench my thirst with your blood if I was stranded in the hottest desert.” Skoll uttered while not being one bit dishonest.

His words disappointed Lord Gao, who wanted to solve his second problem of his and then deal with this wolf afterward. It seemed to him that this beast wasn't willing to make any regard for Allan’s safety, so Lord Gao tried to do something about it.

“Very well. You will suffer then. Take care of the kid, even if he fell off from it or not.” With the failure, Lord Gao ordered his servant behind him. Implying he would blame the servant if Allan end up dead.

“Of course, sir.” The man behind him bowed with an indifferent look of acceptance. It was a face of a servant who would go to the end of the world for their masters.

Skoll was unmoved by this man. “Kid, you better prepare yourself. I will try my best to flee. Priority of your life is more important than fighting them, but that won't be so simple.” Skoll ordered Allan, who was looking at this situation with fear and hesitation.

“Skoll? Is this that bad?” Allan asked, but he did not get any answer.

“Is there no way around this?” he thought. The constant pressure that was emitting from this old man was absolutely terrifying. It was in no way weaker than Skoll, who had a different aura around him, but an overall terrifying feeling was still there.

Allan almost flew through the air as Skoll pounced his paws from the ground. Gust, shock, and crevices formed on the ground for dozens of meters. Not glancing back any further, he fled much faster than ever before in his life.

“Fleeing? Damn... That was his best choice, I guess. His pride isn't much then. I guess he may not be of the Heavenly List after all.” Lord Gao reconsidered, but that didn't change his mind. Certain beasts or even powerful warriors wouldn't flee for their lives at every minor bump on their road. No. They would fight for their honor and pride.

How utterly stupid and meaningless is something Skoll would have thought if he was told that.

Seeing him flee, Lord Gao crisscrossed his arms before his chest. A green glow shimmered around them, while he was manifesting his energy outside of his body. Preparing himself for the chasing was the least he could do now, but seeing Skoll's speed, it seems his calculations were wrong.

Eagle appeared above him in the sky and he and his servant jumped 100 meters to the sky onto its back. Pursuing was best done from the above, and they hold the advantage. The best and safest place in the sky, while the attacking will be done here without a problem.

“The beast went quite faster than before. It is stronger than I guess, so it has used a little power so far. Change of plans. Let's bombard them. Hehehehee.” Laugh sounded from afar as Lord Gao assumed the lofty position of a hunter who would be more than willing to be shameless as he wished.

Bustling trees and bushes went by as Skoll was running faster throughout the region. Cutting unexpected corners as he could, he decided to go more up the mountain. To the stone mountains where he could see if they were closer to their destination, and potential open space was easier to spot the attacks. That, or the defense of the trees, didn't sound bad as well. That was a dilemma that Skoll had to decide upon. The downside was he could be seen in that case, but he also believe he was much faster than them.

“Skoll. There is no way they are slower than you. They waited for us on that hill.” Allan assumed. He was right, much to his lack of knowing the truth.

“I am taking a risk. What am I supposed to do?” Skoll argued while brainstorming for ideas.

“I don’t know….” Allan said helplessly.

“Watch out from behind and above. I am focusing on the run at the moment.” Skoll ordered Allan, who had no choice but to concede. He was also not sure about their opponents. He was aware that they were fast as well, but how much?

THUD!

Bang!

Dull sounds could be heard everywhere around the mountains. Sounds of falling rock and tremors in the ground spread to their location.

“Above! They are above us!” Allan shouted upon sudden understanding, and shadows above the trees.

“NO!” Skoll shrieked. Stopping himself, he looked above as well.

“I can see a bird in the sky,” Allan argued.

“We are an easy target. This is bad. Get off me, kid,” Skoll helplessly said, while the worse came at last.

“B-but…” Allan couldn’t find a solution, as this was a critical point in going to the capital. All they had to do was to go to the summit, then descend, and it's an easy journey to the capital.

“Go to the mountains yourself. Get your one bag only and leave the rest to myself. Find some cave or something, and don't wander off for the time being. I will take care of it so we won't be killed off.” Skoll said in determination while killing intent was radiating from his eyes. He would use the other sack as camouflage to think that he was still on his back. Since the enemies knew Allan was on his back, this could be a small farce.

“No choice again...” Allan painfully realized., but still took his bag with food. In a leather bag were his books and water with some food. He took some weapons from the other to feel safe.

“Will you find me after you will deal with them?” Allan asked while looking at Skoll's back, who looks, hears, and sniffs the enemy.

“My nose is excellent. How do you think I found you?” Skoll adds while praising his own ability. Before going, he decided to ask one more question, just for the sake of it.

“Kid, what is your name?”

“Huh? Did I not tell you that before? My name is Allan.”

“Hahaha. Mortal name, huh? How generous. I guess no surname, too?”

“Wh-what? What do you mean?” Allan asked in surprise by this sudden question.

Skoll was lost in thoughts for a moment while recalling some of his memories. He jumped away without giving Allan any more hints. He jumped before a massive boulder crashed to the ground a couple of dozen meters away, knocking Allan out. Skoll left with no other words but the determination to get his life back was more than apparent.

Bombardment of the rocks and mountains kept going. Dozens of them flew around a few kilometers radius. Allan could see that as he get on his feet from the sudden mountain that fell a few dozen meters before him. Speechless, and with the utmost shock on his face, he hesitated but chose to move his feet forward. Resolving himself even more after no more attacks in his direction, he started to run in the opposite direction towards the summit.

High in the air, Lord Gao was enjoying the scenery, while strands of green energy flowed around him. “How easy to deal with this animal.”

His energy formed small energy rivers all over his body and his back. They divided further into many more streams which flew around the hundreds of meters around him. On their ends were shaped hands, which were grabbing the rocks and mountains before throwing them away into random locations. It was a sight of dozens of small mountain-sized boulders which crashed into the forest and ground. Shaking earth was cracked and destruction littered the surroundings in a couple of dozen throws.

“It surely is master.” His servant said in confirmation. He was seated on an edge of the eagle. Glancing down, he had thick veins visible around his eyes.

“M-master!? The kid is gone?” He shouted as he noticed something important. They long discovered the appearance of Skoll, but something left their mind while Lord Gao was excited to hunt.

“Whaaat?“ Lord Gao asked in a leisure tone. “That sounds like your problem, doesn't it?”

Servant gritted his teeth. Hearing his response, it was his problem to solve, and not his master's.

“They separated as we started our bombardment. Get off and find your way back. You should have the kid somewhere in our previous locations. Mountains, or somewhere there.”

“Of course. I shall do my best!” The man bowed in confirmation before jumping down from a high distance. In a couple of seconds, he reached the ground, and his feet penetrated the ground with cracks around his location for almost a hundred meters.

They went through the ground up to his knees. His powerful thighs and legs lessened the impact. He landed fine, so he forced the ground away before sprinting through the forest in an opposite direction with big leaps. A murderous and grinning face was suddenly revealed on his face. Completely opposite to the calm and orderly face he wore while with his master.

“Now. Now. With him gone, I suppose I should start for real.” Lord Gao muttered to himself while he was seated alone on his bird.