Kaden would have changes made to his armor, he decided, as he walked through the Druid Grove. He didn’t like the way they looked at him differently if they couldn’t see his ribs. He’d been injured by a Demon’s Daugher in their grove, as their guest, and they didn’t like how he chose to survive?

He’d make the changes as soon as he was done.

Viktor waited near the druid teaching circle. The Ranger had changed his cloak for one that was vibrant green. “Your [Transfusionist] went out with me last night to help catch a few Grahts. I used the tracking forest to set up a test. How would you like to get some revenge?”

“A lot. How many is a few Grahts?”

Viktor activated a portal. “A few. You won’t see me, I want to see how your sight works. Grahts are stupid, but I’ve set up a few nasty surprises. Do well enough, I’ll show you something better.”

“Get Eve and Sara.”

“You want to take a woman with Hated By Demons into a forest I’ve seeded with demons? What did you get for killing the Daughter?”

“Feared by Demons,” Kaden said.

[Feared By Demons]

Lesser demons will flee in your presence, while greater ones will be aware you are present.

“Terrible, just terrible,” Viktor said. “Now you’ll have to hunt them down. That Mark will make them aware you’re present even in [Stealth]. Even worse, it’ll cancel some of your [Transfusionist]’s Hated by Demons.”

The poor ranger seemed more upset than Kaden, and Kaden was the one with a metal plate drilled into his ribs. “Let’s get to it.”

Kaden stepped through the portal.

First off, he would be discussing—and clarifying—the term ‘a few.’ The forest was infested with Grahts. And [Planes Hunter] made them glow in soft colors Kaden was sure would tell him different things about the demons in time. Most were a light yellow but here and there, oranges and even a red in the distance. Trees didn’t obscure the glow, though the gentle rise and fall of earth did.

He set to hunting, all in all a pathetic effort with little XP to show. Level twenty grahts didn’t give much XP at all, but every attack had to be made from [Stealth] or they scattered like roaches, leaving Kaden to hunt them down again.

Stone would absolutely hide the demon’s presence, as Kaden found out when he passed a cave and got swarmed. Red was more dangerous than orange, which was more dangerous than yellow. A few of the grahts were green, blue, and gray.

He accidentally killed a group of grays chasing a yellow and almost didn’t realize it.

Yes, they were technically attacking him.

[Identify] labeled them as level five, a deadly threat to commoners.

Absolutely laughable to Kaden.

With focus—and effort, Kaden figured out how to turn off the sight, then how to use it again. Like working a different muscle, the effort made his brain ache. The last, red entity was a [Graht Shaman] who actually made Kaden bleed before Kaden split him down the middle.

His progress toward level twenty five was non-existent.

Rather than wait, Kaden focused on the feel of the druid teaching ring. Mana Loop and Remote Mana Loop happened without thought, as did tearing the gaping holes in reality he needed, and slowly he wove the edges together to form a mostly stable portal. It drifted slightly to the side, but other than that, Kaden felt proud about using it to return.

He used [Stealth] to avoid waking Eve where she slept in the Tree Space and set out to find Sara, following the grass wave through different meadows.

“Kaden! Kaden Birch!” Tanny Ren, the [Tamer] Druid called to him. “Where have you been? I had a taming class earlier and wanted you to learn. Come on, no time like the present.”

“Exactly what I was thinking.” Kaden summoned the [FalCrow], the worst Messenger Bird on earth. “Let’s start with this thing. It’s a Beast that was forcibly crossed by a [Mage] who ascended. I’m told it’s barely physical and almost a minor deity, and while I [Tamed] it and have an Obedience binding on it, I can barely get it to do anything.”

“I’ll kill them all!” The [FalCrow] said in Kaden’s voice. “Splatter their brains.”

Tanny’s face went pale. “Send it away. We start with rabbits. What in the nine hells did you tame first?”

“A Lost Beast that had been imprisoned by an order of Assassins. But I didn’t let it go until we were both trapped in a pocket dimension with skeletons spawning constantly to try and kill us. The circumstances worked in my favor.”

Tanny Ren had a vein on his neck that stood out when the man was agitated.

At this moment, Kaden could have taken shelter behind that vein. “It never really liked me, but it did help me escape and kill a Greater Abyssenian. It liked Trella.”

It took several moments for Tanny to speak. “You know, at the Grove, we often say it’s good to take time. Get in the right space to do learning. I’m going to take a few moments to meditate. Drink some nectar and dew. You…stay here and don’t summon that thing again.”

When Tanny returned, his vein was no longer standing out. Based on his breath, Kaden believed the nectar had probably been mixed with dew and fermented for weeks in a jug. It had gotten him in the right space.

He began to teach, starting with the lessons Kaden never had. How to tame a beast and release it, tame it again, release it again. How the process changed with each beast, and what worked with one wouldn’t work with another.

Rabbits could be tamed as soon as they were calm.

Deer could be tamed just by feeding them and applying the skill.

Foxes wouldn’t tame for food but if he could get one to play, they wouldn’t leave even after Kaden released them. Wolves.

Tanny called one, and it came loping toward him like a giant dog. Kaden could only be grateful Trinity was sleeping off her celebration meal, because Tanny would have one less wolf in about thirty seconds.

“Calm yourself,” Tanny said. “Use your empathy skill. It might say [Beast] but I’d bet it works on animals. Can’t you tell how happy he is?”

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I live next to FangWood. His coat reminds me of [Moon Shadow], the champion.” Kaden looked away. “Can we skip wolves?”

Tanzy’s reaction said almost everything. “You could tame the wolves in FangWood rather than killing them.”

“Could I tame [Moon Shadow]?” Kaden asked, suddenly interested.

“You can try. Make sure you have a [Healer] close by. I’m at a loss for what to do with you. Most of the time we work toward taming your first Beast. You already have three.” Tanzy waved to the wolf, and it ran into the woods. “Here’s what I can tell you that will help. Tame everything. Even if you can’t raise the skill because your class’s obsession with bonds is stupid, you can learn. Slots don’t discriminate. Tame an ant—try it—or tame a Dragon—don’t try it—it’s still just one slot.”

That was helpful. “What about Enlightened Beasts like the [FalCrow]?”

“You have to figure out what they want. That dog of yours is close to Enlightened. What does she want?”

Kaden knew this. “She wants to be loved.”

“Figure it out. Summon it without wanting anything. Talk to it constantly. Ask it to do things you think it would want to do. With an enlightened Beast, you don’t have the same instincts to use.” Tanny looked back as an owl landed on him. “Did you somehow escape a demon training course? The Council [Ranger] is looking everywhere for you.”

“That’s a firm maybe,” Kaden said. “It’s certainly possible, but I wouldn’t use the term ‘escape’ as much as ‘got bored and left.’”

“What do you know? I have a class I have to prepare for. And you have…him.” Tanny pointed across the grove, as a Portal opened and Viktor leaped through, followed by Trinity.

“You left. I didn’t know you could Portal, I was looking in the third hell for you. Where did you learn to portal like that? It didn’t leave tracks.” Viktor didn’t loom over Kaden, but the Centurion had a presence that was hard to ignore. “For future reference, it’s rude to leave like that.”

“Sorry? You didn’t tell me to wait. I killed all the Grahts and got bored.” It was probably best that he not mention already being bored. Again. Instead, he explained how it functioned, the cave limitations, the difficulty in turning it off.

“Don’t. Learn to see both at the same time, but don’t disable it. And try to be smart. Say you’re in a city. Say you’re watching a speech, and the Mayor has a bright purple Halo. Get a [Ranger] or a [Druid] and explain, because most Demons aim for influence and power. You got none.” Viktor clapped him on the back. “Tonight, while the [Druids] work moon magic, I’m going to show you what a [Ranger] does. Druids work with Nature. They heal and protect. Rangers strike back. You’re almost high enough to hunt in Hell. At least, the first Hell.”

“Not without Sara.” Even Kaden understood this time Eve’s presence would be a beacon. “How do we get to Hell? And more importantly, how do I get back when—I mean if—something goes wrong?”

“Now that’s the right question. The answer is, you don’t do anything. For Adventurers heading to Hell the first time, we cast a recall spell that when it expires is going to pull you back. If all it brings back is your bones, it’s still bringing back your bones.”

The grahts hadn’t moved him toward twenty five at all. Demons were good XP, and Kaden had always hunted higher level monsters. But while his gut said Viktor meant well, his sense of dread had welled to levels so high it was a flood. Chills ran down his spine and he couldn’t help imagining a Demon Lord ambushing the group in vivid, vicious detail, a loop that got stronger with every passing moment until he could hear the demon speaking, feel manacles clamping on his wrist. “Are you going to be angry when I say no? I like a challenge. I’m not afraid to face champions and bosses and demons, but Trella used to—says, ‘trust your gut.’ Maybe my gut is a coward, but it says no.”

It wasn’t the answer Viktor expected. “I’ll tell the Hunting Party. You have every right to be afraid of a place called Hell, but advancement comes best when you push the limits. Let me know if you change your mind.”

Kaden wouldn’t. The reverse-memory in his mind wouldn’t let him.

He sought out Sara, and found her near an archery range, being shouted out by a pair of [Rangers], brother and sisters from the looks. They shared dark green eyes and deep tan skin and curly black hair, and [Identify] named them as [Rangers], Isobelle and Tristan Koldar.

And apparently the other thing they shared was a hatred for [Mana Quiver].

“Do not reach for that quiver,” Isobelle shouted as Sara lifted the bow. “[Mana Quivers] are a crutch and I won’t hesitate to break that crutch if you reach. [Mana Quiver] unlocks the skill. You didn’t need the actual quiver afterwards and you shouldn’t have been using it.”

Tristan spoke more gently. “Focus on the string, the skill, and feel the arrow as you draw. There’s a gap where you push Mana, and that’ll form the arrow. Forcing the mana to form physical arrows is a skill you’ll use every so often against certain enemies, but usually wastes time.”

Sara drew back—nothing. And started again. And again. “It’s not easy. The skill is easier to use from—”

Isobele ripped the quiver from Sara’s side and crushed it. “Don’t look at me like that, you’ve got what counts. No crutches. No choices. Use the skill to draw the arrow.”

“Pretend you’re shooting me for that first point of Archery again,” Kaden called.

Sara scowled. Her pseudopods grasped the ground to brace her as she drew back the bow string. A misshapen line of lightning formed as she did, with a tangled ball of sparks for the head. When Sara let go it went sailing off to the right and exploded in sparks at a tree.

“Gods.” Sara dropped to one knee, heaving. “That took almost all my mana.”

Tristan hauled her up. “First draw is always like that. As soon as you can, do it again.”

“Is that all you want?” Sara shook her head.

Kaden opened [Mana Well] and pushed mana into her until it overflowed.

She stood and drew more carefully.

On the fifth, time, a modest line of pure lightning formed. This landed in the grass short of the target, but Sara had already drawn again, and struck the target, and once more. This arrow was more the idea of an arrow, with sparks for feathers and jangling triangles.

It hit the target and exploded, off center but still more dangerous.

“A third of my mana for one arrow. The Quiver could draw them for a point each. Is it always this expensive?”

“You just managed to use it. Mana Quiver will rise again, now, and when it hits ten, you’ll be able to produce different types of arrows for less and less mana. That’s enough for today.” Isobele glanced to Kaden. “Your hammer-man is here. There’s no need to have a hammer if the enemies don’t survive to reach melee range.”

Sara probably understood the value of ranged attacks more than anyone. She put away her bow and joined him. “I should have done this sooner. Some skills you grow just by using. Many—a great many—require training from higher level users to unlock advancement. Now, [Archery] and [Mana Quiver] will advance.”

Kaden had taken battle hammer and axe classes and only really learned from Mr. Dervish, who seemed to treat mastering weapons as a hobby. He explained about Viktor’s offer. About the serious XP boost and the recall options.

And his worry. “I don’t have a reason. I’ve never shown [Prophecy] before, but I can’t shake the feeling that this is a worse idea than facing off against Darmando. I can smell the demons when I think about it. I’d rather you and I go hunting tonight while Eve works on Lunar magic.”

“A hunch is good enough for me,” Sara said. “There’s always more XP if you live to see another day.”

The relief that rushed through him was hard to quantify. They spent the evening with Kaden exercising [Tame] on everything possible, while avoiding as many [Druids] as possible. Word had gotten around.

Trinity enjoyed staring at [Druids], and with three times the normal number of eyes, she always won staredowns. At the evening meal, Eve joined them with Vip at her side. “I’m nervous. [Moon Strike] was a way for me to gain status effects. What if I’m not compatible with other Lunar skills? And is this really the best use of the pollen?”

“Put it this way,” Sara said. “If cost weren’t an issue, would you want to learn more skills like [Moon Strike?]”

“Absolutely.”

“Then it’s a perfect use,” Kaden said. “Learn the skills. Use the skills. I’m looking forward to you learning more abilities like [Moon Shimmer]. Sara and I are going night hunting just outside the Grove.”

“I expected you were going on that expedition to Hell. Be careful, both of you.” Eve stood and dusted herself off. “Vip, watch out for them. Kaden, be smart. Sara, be careful. And for the love of all the gods, lock the portal if you…whatever.”

That made Kaden laugh. There would be no ‘whatever.’ But there would be monsters and XP. “You have any preference for where we head?”

“I had been thinking of night hunting before you brought it up. Night spawns hold some of the best crafting, alchemical, and spell ingredients.” Sara checked both of her swords. “It turns out, Mr. Dervish put out a quest. There are Kalaraks spawning south of here. They’re Beasts who are nearly impossible to bind. Near impossible to catch. I think he’s gathering ingredients to break that binding.”

“What level?”

“Twenty eight. Our chances of killing them are low, but if even one essence makes the difference? I’ll stay up all night.”

This was why Kaden never doubted his friendship with Sara. “Let’s do it.”

Low chances? Better than no chance.