By the end of the day, the river proved to be a fruitful hunting ground. With help from Katherine and the new summon which he named Hammer, Zachary was able to adjust his methods and catch several more Ensouled. He kept a small fish with beautiful rainbow scales while killing the others for their anima crystals as well as to serve as food.

Aquatic Ensouled had their uses in water but were far weaker out of water. Only creatures like Hammer could still provide combat power in the jungle while the rainbow fish was completely useless. Even with Katherine's near-perfect success rate with summoning cards, they still had to be mindful of their limited supply.

“Is it ready yet?” Katherine asked as she sat next to the small fire.

She voiced the question that was on several minds at the moment. Marble sat on her lap, staring at the sizzling pieces of roast fish and licking its lips. Onkie was by Zachary’s feet, bumping into him constantly and begging silently.

“It’s ready. Be careful, it’s hot.”

Katherine snatched up two skewers and fed one to Marble. Zachary also took two and gave one to Onkie.

The fish was fragrant and oily. Its flesh was white and flaky. The skin was crispy and slightly charred. Even without salt or other seasonings, it tasted great.

It not only filled their hungry stomachs; it also provided a small amount of Eternum to replenish their soul sea. While most of the Eternum within an Ensouled remained within their anima crystal, a fraction of it would be constantly circulating through the body, improving physical attributes and enhancing natural abilities. Eating the flesh of Ensouled was not the most effective way to absorb Eternum and cultivate the soul but it was better than nothing.

“So, what’s the plan now?” Katherine asked.

She had just finished a skewer and picked up another.

“I am not confident enough to cross the river with just Hammer and Dream. I want to catch something else that can fight on land as well as in the water. This place is a good hunting ground, it won’t hurt to stay a little while to gather strength… as long as nobody comes to bother us.”

“Alright.” She said and started munching, taking small but quick bites in action that mirrored her cat.

Zachary watched her in silence, a question rising to the front of his mind but not sure if he should ask it. He finally cast aside his uncertainty when she took the last skewer that should have been his.

“So… you know that I have a wounded soul. I want to know, why you still follow me and want to help me.”

“You still haven’t figured it out?” She asked.

“I can’t read your mind, how am I supposed to?”

She chuckled and slowly finished the last bit of fish. She licked her lips and wiped her mouth, taking her sweet time just to annoy him.

She turned towards him, her pretty face flickering with firelight as the sky darkened around them. There was an air of mystery around her like he didn’t know her at all. And he didn’t. He felt a strange sense of comfort in her company but she was not much better than a complete stranger.

“Didn’t I say it was a secret?”

“…”

Her eyes sparkled with playfulness, “I can tell you, but only if you tell one of your secrets first. It’s only fair.”

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Fine, I can tell you how my soul was wounded.”

She waved her hand, “No, no. No need. I already know that.”

“How do you…”

“I want to know,” She said with emphasis, “About your first summon and how you obtained it.”

Zachary stared at her for a long time. He had never told the story of his first summon to anyone except his parents. He wondered what her aim was and how she already knew so much about him.

But after considering everything, he decided that the past wasn’t worth more than his life in the present. He needed her. And as she said, it was a fair trade.

“Let’s see, my first summon…”

---

It happened during the summer when he was nine years old. He remembered it all clearly, the town of Warton where he grew up with his parents. It was right along the seashore, a small town that consisted of mostly farmers and fishermen.

In the Republic of Adorin, children at the age of ten could go to school to learn about becoming a summoner. Tuition was free. The only requirement was that they had to have a summon that they called their own.

His family wasn’t rich but they weren’t so poor that they couldn’t afford a summon for their only child. Her mother ran a small bookstore. It was a curious sight in a rural town but it allowed him to be surrounded with knowledge about various Ensouled at a young age. His father worked for the town as an accountant of some sort. He didn’t make a lot of money but it was enough to support the small family as well as the bookstore that rarely turned a profit.

Zachary was finally at an age when he could finally receive his first summon. After growing up on his mother’s stories and reading endless piles of books, he could hardly wait.

“Mom, when is Dad coming back?”

A middle-aged woman with slightly graying black hair looked up from her task at the counter. Peering over a stack of books, her warm gaze fell upon her son, Zachary Zhang. With black hair that flowed down to his shoulders and charming looks, he was a healthy boy of nine and some change. He had already unlocked his first soul path and was eager to officially become a summoner.

“Your father only left yesterday. It will take three days by train to reach New Cambria and a few days more to find the right Ensouled for you. If you want him to rush, then he’ll just get you an ember cat.”

“No way!” He shook his head, “I don’t want a cat!”

“We know, we know,” She waved him off, “Go and play outside, get some fresh air.”

“Okay!”

Zachary grabbed his fishing pole and ran out of the shop. He strolled along the streets, casually waving at other children who were playing in the alleys between brick houses. An occasional wagon or carriage rattled past him, pulled along by common equine Ensouled.

Warton was a small town. The tallest building only had two stories. He followed the main street and walked past the harbor. The fishing ships had all gone out, the fishermen and their loyal sea dogs hard at work harvesting the bounties of the sea.

There was one merchant steamer at the docks. With a black-painted hull and tall smokestacks, it was eye-catching. A creation that combined human ingenuity and the power of Ensouled, these steamers allowed people without water-attribute Ensouled to cross dangerous oceans.

It was the same for trains. A high rank Ensouled that specialized in speed on the ground could far outpace the fastest trains. However, they were expensive and only available to high rank summoners. Trains allowed ordinary people like his father. to travel long distances quickly.

Zachary left the town and crossed over into the countryside. Endless fields of wheat and corn occupied the rolling hills with only the occasional ancient tree to break the view. It wasn’t planting season or else he would have seen tri-horn oxen everywhere, plowing the ground at the behest of their summoners.

He headed for his favorite fishing spot. Hardly anyone came around here. The nearest town was half a day away by horse.

He eventually reached the ocean after climbing down some cliffs and scrambling over the rocks. He cast out his line and waited patiently for a bite. He wondered if he would be able to catch an Ensouled. He wouldn’t know what to do with it as he didn’t have any summoning cards or know what to do with them. But at least he could daydream.

As he was staring at the calm sea and the blue sky, he noticed a strange sight.

A dark cloud appeared over the horizon. It moved in a straight line, parallel to the shore, with the pace and ferocity of a horde of wild Ensouled. Soon, it had covered half the sky, casting the land into gloominess.

Lighting flashed through the clouds. Thunder rumbled. But there was no rain. Surprisingly, it was snow that began to fall around him, swept around by the sharp wind that buffeted Zachary's small frame.

The rolling clouds were filled with a sense of fury and defiance like they were going to sweep away everything in their path. He wanted to run but an overwhelming pressure weighed on his soul and rooted his feet to the ground.

Suddenly, a great flash of lightning went off, over the sea directly in front of him. His mouth fell open as an amazing sight appeared.