Chapter Seven

The morning was brisk as summer's changing heat gradually decreased with autumn's breeze. I rubbed my nose, glancing down at my task sheet as my steps carried me through Alinor Keep. I was heading towards a spot labelled on my sheet at the farthest left point of the military quadrant. It had been marked off as the beast holding pens.

Today was Earth Day. We weren't scheduled for any official training and had the day to ourselves, so most of the Trainees were carrying out their tasks or choosing to explore Zromore. I had hoped to go to the market later today myself. I had no idea how long that stall with the Jabascus root would stick around.

I picked up my pace, eager to get this over with quickly.

As I followed the dirt-cobbled path, a musk smell struck my senses. It grew stronger the further I went until the sight of stone buildings was replaced with sparse greenery blocked by strong wooden fences. The wall of Zromore stretched high into the sky, creating a shadow that loomed over the quadrant fields.

I hesitantly weaved through some accessible small fields, growing plants I recognised. Some people bent down to the ground as they inspected the fauna before carefully extracting the plants with specialised equipment to prevent damage.

I watched them, fascinated by the tools they were using. I had never grown any of my own plants before. I didn't have the seeds or the knowledge to do so successfully in my third life when researching herbology. I had only learned what plants were and how to identify them. One of the men looked up and spotted me with a curious gaze. I nodded in greeting but quickly moved on. I didn't want to get caught doing something I shouldn't, Eduard's words ringing in my mind.

He was right to a point. I should avoid causing myself more trouble, but that was all.

I took a deep breath to settle my mind as I continued towards the largest fence in the area, several feet taller than I was, blocking my view of what was behind.

It had been a struggle to keep my thoughts from bounding this morning. My dream had resurfaced some memories of my second life. They were hazy, as most of them tended to be from that time. I had been braver then, unafraid to say what strung my heart and often quite brazen with my words and actions. That attitude and lack of restraint led to me clashing with Callan with my open insults for his fiance, Rian. Maybe the dream clove that dulled my mind gave me that bravery or the frustration with my pitiful first life, but what little use had that been?

That life had ended with my death anyway.

I approached a gate built into the fence. It was guarded by a couple of men dressed in foot guard uniforms, their badges displaying a shield. I was learning that meant they were a part of the guardsmen profession.

After showing them my task sheet, the guardsmen opened the gate and let me enter.

The smell of musk intensified as I lifted my sleeve to block my nose. It mingled in with other odours hinting at the beasts that lived here. I widened my eyes at the sight of the pens and the guards closing the gates behind me.

Enclosures were separated by sturdy metal structures laced together to make cages. However, these cages were nothing if not impressive. They were so large that I could not see the end of the enclosures they housed. Each had different terrains, some grassy plain fields, others rocky with changing heights. One felt hot just looking at it as an open pit of boiling water bubbled and popped.

I stared for a moment before shaking my head. The best beast keepers of Zopan must maintain this place.

I had never seen anything like it. It was nothing like the commoners' farms outside of the walls for the subservient boar beasts and coreless hens.

I glanced down at my task sheet once more, confirming the location of the pen I had been assigned. Slowly, I followed the path that snaked around the edges of the enclosures. I couldn't help but steal a glance at them. Just what did each of these contain? What demonic beasts would the army be caring for to create something of this level?

Each of them seemed eerily empty.

Was there really anything in them?

I startled my step, sucking in a breath as a pair of dark yellow eyes glinted from a cave, watching me intently. They fixated on me as I did them.

The hairs on my neck stood on end, and time seemed to stand still as we stared at one another. A silent exchange of curiosity and wariness passed between us, only broken by the sound of a sudden movement. The eyes quickly closed, disappearing into the shadows.

I released my breath, flickering my gaze to the approaching person.

"Trainee, what are you doing here?" A water summoner demanded.

"I... I thought I saw something," I stammered, my heart racing from the encounter.

The summoner frowned, his aqua eyes narrowing suspiciously. "There are no creatures in that pen. This place is off-limits to trainees. You should not be here."

I swallowed hard, a sense of unease settling in my stomach. Had I imagined the creature?

"My apologies," I said to the summoner, noticing his striking bright blue hair, which mirrored the colour of his eyes. A bone shard sprouted from either side of his cheekbones. He was a Daemon. "I was heading to complete a task issued by Sir Vaughn."

"Ah, I see! That would give you permission to be here. Very well, let me escort you." The summoner nodded with a wide smile, his attitude relaxing as he flourished the dark blue cape of his station. "It would not do for you to get lost on your first assignment."

I agreed.

I hurried after the summoner as his pace was faster than mine. He led me around more metal-caged enclosures before slowing and turning back to look at me thoughtfully.

"Do you know much about this area?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I know it's the beast pens," I said hesitantly. "Beyond that, my knowledge is limited."

The summoner mused his lips. "Then allow me to broaden your horizons! There is not enough youth these days in the beast-keeping profession. Did you take the task because you like beasts? Oh, they are fascinating creatures, aren't they?"

"Ugh-yes, I am familiar with Kreshna, so I chose the task because it was the best option for me," I answered, and suddenly, he beamed brightly.

"That is fantastic! Kreshna are such darlings. Their tough hides and cute cloven feet are so underappreciated," he sighed heavily.

I raised my eyebrow. I don't think I have ever heard anyone refer to a Kreshna's cloven feet as 'cute'.

"They are certainly misunderstood," I replied with a smile of my own.

"Exactly! Oh, I like you" The summoner's eyes glinted as he wagged a finger at me. "Here, here, let me show you some more darlings!" he quickly changed direction and led me closer to one of the enclosures.

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I didn't really have a choice but to follow him from his insistence.

He tapped on the cage's metal and then pointed his finger toward it with an excited gleam. Droplets of water began to form, creating a steady stream dripping from his finger into the enclosure.

I clutched my ears as a deafening screech erupted.

The ground shook, and suddenly, dozens of plump, ridged creatures wriggled out of holes. What was once an empty enclosure became filled with demonic beasts. They had no eyes or faces, only a large mouth, and I paled as they all rushed towards the water with razor-sharp teeth. The worm beasts lapped at the water greedily as the summoner cooed at them.

"W-what are they!" I asked, removing my hands from my ears as the screeching subsided.

"Echiwyms, they are adorable, aren't they?" he said as the water stopped flowing.

"Ugh-sure," I said, raising an eyebrow.

Adorable wouldn't be my description.

The summoner nodded at me happily. "We use them to irrigate the soil. They can revitalise it so the herbologists and farmers can keep growing their plants every season."

"Why haven't I heard of them before if they're so useful?" Surely, creatures like this would mean that Talbour could have larger harvests.

"Would you believe 'some' people think they are too much of a handful?" he pouted. "They tend to bite, but all they want is water and good soil to eat."

Yes. I could certainly see why biting could be an issue for commoner beast keepers.

"Why does the army keep subservient beasts?" I asked, and he seemed pleased with my question.

"For several reasons, subservient beasts can provide us with ingredients for alchemists, armourers, and even cooks. They are also useful for labour-intensive tasks, such as hauling heavy equipment. We use Kreshna for that mostly."

"I see," I said thoughtfully, "Where do they come from? Do you breed them?"

"Yes and no," he stroked his chin, pulled away from the Echiwyms, and continued down the path. I quickly followed. "If we want a particular beast to research, we will put out a task for capture, but we already have the majority we use frequently. We do control their breeding, but sometimes they can surprise us," he chuckled. "There are beasts that come into being all on their own sometimes because of aether density. Others, like the subservient types, can be unpredictable in how and when they reproduce."

Something about what he said struck my curiosity. "Is it only subservient beasts that are kept here or are... there more dangerous ones?" I started to look around at the enclosures, a little more fearful.

The summoner chuckled again at my reaction. "All demonic beasts are dangerous, silly girl" he shook his head. "Kreshna and Echiwyms have less hostility than others, but Yalon and Rashclaw are vicious, yet we need their exquisite feathers for our arrows. Raising them directly provides us with a supply without having to go out and capture them in the wild. It is an efficient and necessary part of the army. Without them, we would lack supplies."

I pressed my lips at his words.

Just what were those eyes I saw?

The summoner frowned as we passed a dark enclosure, the metal cage surrounding it was unlike the others. It didn't have gaps from a weave but instead was a solid metal blocking all view of what could be inside.

"Against my better judgement, we do also keep some wild beasts for combat training. They are just as delightful as the others, but certain generals think they make us more prepared for the deadlands."

I gulped.

Was I going to have to fight one of those at some point?

Wild demonic beasts survived by consuming the aether of other living beings, unlike subservient demonic beasts. Surely, keeping wild ones was too risky in a populated city?

As we continued to walk, the summoner was more than eager to point out each of the subservient beasts hidden in their enclosures. His expression brightened with my questions, and I got the sense that he was enjoying being my guide.

I found that I was learning more from him than I expected. He stopped and gestured to a high tree in one enclosure; on its branches sat an avian beast, its feathers a rainbow of colours. It was so beautiful I found it hard to believe it was vicious, but the summoner informed me that Yalon's enjoyed pecking out flesh. He was quite enthusiastic about that fact. It meant collecting their fallen feathers was only done wearing a padded enforced body suit for safety. The risk was taken since each coloured feather was uniquely attuned to different aether. When used with arrows, they amplified the strength of attacks, making them highly valuable.

Pulling my gaze away from the Yalon's, the summoner finally led me towards an area that seemed more populated. Wooden barns were lined in rows, opening onto large open fields with lower metal fences. These enclosures were open, not enclosed as the others had been.

I couldn't help but smile when I spotted a small herd of Kreshna quietly grazing in one of them. Their ears flickered back and forth as they snorted at their companions without paying us any mind.

"Here we are," the summoner said, bringing me to one of the barns and waving his hand in a large motion in its direction. "Sir Vaughn is our resident Kreshna's keeper. I imagine you will be working here for the duration of your task."

"Thank you," I beamed gratefully, "I learnt a lot from you. Thank you for taking the time to teach me" I bowed my head respectfully, which seemed the correct move as his grin widened.

"If you ever want to know more, it would be my pleasure to teach you. Not enough trainees show interest in our profession," he sighed regretfully. "Just ask the guardsmen for Sergeant Reefborn."

"Ah-Yes, certainly, Sergeant" I quickly performed the Zopan salute. I definitely did not think for a moment that he had rank. Waving me goodbye, he sauntered further down the path towards a large building in the distance, leaving me at the barn's entrance.

"What a strange encounter," I muttered, facing the barn. It wasn't often that I met someone so thrilled to talk about demonic beasts or referred to them as cute.

***

I stood straight, my hands tightly behind my back as I faced the scrutinising glare of an old man. His tongue stroked his teeth as he looked me up and down and prodded my legs with a stick.

He held my task sheet in his hand as he inspected me.

"You will do." he finally remarked, and I relaxed my muscles. "First time I av' ad' two of ya'." Sir Vaughn said, shuffling to the wall of the barn where various pitchforks and large bristle brushes hung.

He plucked one off the rack and shoved it into my chest.

I grabbed it before he could let go and now found myself aimlessly holding a pitchfork as he raised his arm and pointed towards the back door.

"Go clean tha' one," he ordered, his dark brown cloak dragged along the floor as he hunched his back.

"Y-yes, Sir!" I replied, still adjusting. Upon entering the barn, Sir Vaughn had screamed at me to stand up and explain my business. It was a short conversation, and he hadn't seemed impressed with me, so I was worried he would turn me out.

"Oh," he spoke, pausing my step. "Don' go near 'em, Kreshna, if ya' don' wanna get hurt. Takes a trained han' to deal with em."

"R-right, of course, Sir," I nodded, glancing away. I don't think I will have that risk with my beast-taming skill.

I moved to the back door, where Sir Vaughn had pointed. The hinges flashed red at my touch, startling me as small runes etched into them glowed. The wood darkened in hue before suddenly swinging open into an enclosure.

The runes must be to prevent demonic beasts rather than people.

I lowered the pitchfork in my hand and stepped into the enclosure. The grass reached my shins; it was thick but not as rough as the prairie expanse had been. Metal fencing surrounded me, taller than the average height of a Kreshna. My gaze flitted across the field. It was fairly large, but due to a lack of trees and its flatness, I could see the other end, but it was a distance away. I smiled when I spotted a small group of Kreshna gathered at the far right. They didn't seem bothered by my presence and happily grazed. This was certainly a better way of life for them than the stables used for Kreshna in Talbour. The environments were well cared for, likely created and maintained by the summoner's skills with aether. The subservient beasts living here seemed to be comfortable.

Looking around, I saw a few spots of Kreshna dung that needed to be broken up and removed. That was the task I had taken. It was certainly not glamorous, and with the danger of being inside the enclosure, it was no wonder the task hadn't been taken by the time I had gotten to the task centre.

Kreshna were difficult for most. It wasn't unusual for commoner beast-keepers to be injured by them. However, I shouldn't have that problem, hopefully.

I glanced back at the herd. They were far away. Maybe if I have time, I can try and see if I can advance my beast-taming skill with them.

This task was perfect for me.

Noticing a wheelbarrow hitched beside the barn, I placed my pitchfork in it and lifted it with a huff at the weight. The wheels rocked, and keeping them balanced as I moved was difficult. The long grass caught up in the wheel, stopping me more than once, so I had to pull it out. Finally reaching the first pile, I picked up the pitchfork and got to work. The dung was hard, and with a grunt, I finally got the pitchfork into it. A pungent smell immediately burst, and I dropped the pitchfork, coughing. Gosh, that was bad. I will definitely bring a face covering next time.

Now came lifting the damn thing.

The weight wasn't what I had expected. I struggled and finally managed to snap the pitchfork up, dung and all, but I lost my balance and found myself frozen as a chunk dripped down my chest.

Great.

At least the majority was still on the pitchfork. I sighed, shaking it off my grey cloak and put what remained on the pitchfork into the wheelbarrow. That was one pile down. How many more could there be?

I looked into the field and saw dozens of dark brown spots in the green grass.

I took a moment.

I was going to be here all day, wasn't I?

With a heavy sigh, I put the pitchfork back in the wheelbarrow to set off to the next one. Then I spotted something else in the field that wasn't a Kreshna. My eyes widened as a grey figure stood against the green grass to the left.

Wait, Sir Vaughn had said something about the two of us, didn't he?