I sat at my favorite place, a cliff with view on the sea and surrounded by trees. I just loved the sound of the waves beating against the rock formations, the sometimes calm sometimes raging wind and the cries of the birds currently scanning the sea for food.

I turned around to see Pebbles play with a stick, striking several hero-poses with it. I couldn’t help but smile at his cute antics, despite being rather stressed. Today’s events remembered me of a question I totally neglected over the years.

I didn’t actually know where Pebbles came from. He was just there as long as I could remember, cheering me up when I was down and seemingly protecting me too.

Thinking for a moment about Pebbles motives, or those of the person who brought him here, I shook my head.

It didn’t matter for what or for whom Pebbles was here, he would always my Pebbles. While I did want to know what he was and what he had ’planned’, or better was planned for him, for the future, I could do without knowing as long as Pebbles kept being my cute Pebbles.

Which brought me to another topic I would have to think about, my future. Throughout my life I actually hadn’t thought about what I wanted to do later in my life. My only aspiration had been to get recognition from my grandfather, what I would do after I accomplished that was a thought that had never came to my mind.

Considering my bad relationship with my family I didn’t want to rely on them in any kind or form anymore. I thought about what would I need to start my new, my own life.

First, I would need a new place to live and for that I needed money. Taking my fighting prowess into account I could join the military but then I’d have to work under the command of the council, in other words my grandfather. I could work independently as a hunter as monster and beast materials were in high demand but then I’d have to move away from Dvorhaven, as I obviously couldn’t support life in such an expensive city.

Well, the further away from my family the better., I thought before standing up.

I would have a lot of things to plan and the sooner I began the sooner I could start my new life. A life where I wouldn’t waste my time trying to impress people that obviously didn’t care for me. The thought seemed so relaxing, as if a knot that had tied me down had been undone. I could feel power moving through every single cell of my body. It was as if a weight had been taken off my body as my senses sharpened. I could feel my surroundings, the small bird beasts above me and between the trees, the underwater beasts that fought against the waves, Pebbles who clumsily tried to swing his stick like a sword but failed miserably because of his stubby arms… and the person standing beside him smiling at Pebbles futile attempts.

Shocked that I hadn’t noticed until now I turned around to see Nia Anderson just casually standing there. She waved at me before suddenly appearing just centimeters before my face.

“Hey, thought I find you here. So, how’s it going, I mean besides almost getting killed.”

Nia and I were pretty close, probably because I was one of the few people to have a monster as a pet. She had taught me how to take care of Pebbles and discipline him, the latter coming in pretty handy as Pebbles first reaction to anything unknown had been to eat it. It wasn’t really a surprise that she found me here as she had been the person to show me this spot in the first place.

Still not knowing what the fuck just happened I replied.

“Yeah, uhm, pretty good actually. Don’t know what just happened, I made the decision to take my life in my own hands and now I feel… in control, I guess?”

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Nia looked into my eyes as if she was trying to gaze into my very being. I felt a little bit uncomfortable as her gaze intensified.

“Uhm, Nia? Could you not… you know?”

Nia crossed her arms and sighed.

“Yeah… so how the fuck did you unlock a third path?”

I needed a moment to process what she just said.

“What do you mean ’third path’?”

Scratching her cheek, Nia answered in a tone that sounded more like a question than anything else.

“Lys you’re a cultivator. I can feel the qi coursing through your body.”

Nia laughed about my dumbfounded expression and turned around.

“Well, doesn’t matter now. The reason I came in the first place is that Henry is searching the whole city for you. He heard what happened and seemed pretty worried about you, so you should probably go to him before he tears the whole city down.”

I could only grunt at that. My grandfather wasn’t worried for me but only if this could worsen his relations to the Empire.

Still,… I thought,… I should probably show him that I’m ok, and when I’m at it, tell him of my future plans… just in case.

“Thanks for letting me know Nia.”

“No problem. As thanks just give me Pebbles for say 15 minutes.”

As she said this she reappeared behind Pebbles, violently hugging him, which resulted in him dropping his stick. Nia began panting as she looked at Pebbles devastated look.

“Even when he’s sad he just looks so cute!”

Pebbles turned to me, his little arm stretched out as if he was asking to be saved. I gave him a sorry look.

“I can’t help you with this. Sorry.”

He looked at me with a betrayed look, tears glistening in his eyes and his little stubby arm dangling as if he had given up any resistance.

Am I ungrateful?, I asked myself as I watched Pebbles struggle for his little life.

--- --- ---

When I got back home I was swiftly brought before my grandfather’s office. I hesitated a second before knocking.

“Come in.”

The door opened by itself and I took a deep breath before entering.

My grandfather’s office was littered with books and documents. The wall were basically just bookshelves except for a small corner near his desk where a small fireplace was burning. Not the safest thing to have in a room full flammable important stuff but not my problem.

Henry threw a book into the fire as he turned to me. He looked at me with a worried face, which ticked me a bit off, but I said nothing. Seemingly, feeling my irritation he brought his attention back to his documents.

“I heard what happened today at the training field. Are you ok?”

He looked up from his documents back at me. Anger welled up inside me. Why did he suddenly try to look as though he cared. He didn’t and I knew that. He couldn’t or I wouldn’t have worked so hard for his approval. I wanted to scream at him, beat him, tell him how much that question alone hurt me.

But I didn’t. I just stood there calmly, composed.

“I want to leave in a week or two. Probably work as an independent hunter, monster materials sell quite good or so I heard.”

I could see the shock in his face but it was quickly replaced by his usual serious look.

“Is that so…”, he stood up and walked to the door, “Wait for me here. I’ll be back in a second.”

Just before he closed the door behind him a small grey mass slipped through the doorway and moved towards me.

“Not now Pebbles. Leave me alone for a moment, ok?”

Pebbles seemed to understand as he walked to the fireplace and began poking around in it with a metal stick.

It didn’t take long for my grandfather to return. In his hands he a black greatsword adorned with blue runes. He held it out to me.

“You need good weapon as a hunter. Take it.”

I hesitated. On one hand, I didn’t want to rely in any way or form on my family anymore and by taking this sword I would just do that, on the other I felt a connection to that sword. My grandfather seemed to feel my hesitation as he pushed the sword closer to me.

“It was your mother’s. She would want you to have it.”

He smiled as I took it from him. It felt perfect as if it was an extension of my body.

Is that what being a cultivator feels like?, I asked myself. Henry saw that I liked the sword, which put a wide grin on his face.

“Try putting qi or mana into it.”, he said almost gleefully.

As I did two blades extended at the end of the blade, making the greatsword look like an anchor. I looked at my grandfather and tried to smile, failing miserably.

“Thanks.”

Then there was an awkward silence. Not knowing what to say I just said that I would have things to do and excused myself. As I and Pebbles walked out of the room I heard my grandfather talk to me in a saddened voice.

“If you need something… you know where to find me.”

I closed the door behind me.