Valen awakens inside his small trailer home, a yawn escaping his mouth. Looking around, he finds Lin missing from her bed. Smiling approving at how she made her bed, her pajamas folded on top. Yawning again, Valen slowly gets up, noticing the sun already high in the sky.

With a thought, his sleepwear is replaced with a t-shirt and shorts. Flip Flops cover his feet as he moves towards the door. Opening it with a little push, Valen is met with quite an interesting sight. Over 40 children await in front of his doorstep, Lin standing up in front. Various kinds of beast-kin stare at Valen as he returns a confused look at Lin. Lin, smiling mischievously puts her hand up and starts chanting "Pancakes, Pancakes, Pancakes". Immediately the other children join in and a large mob of smiling and yelling children is formed.

Smiling at the spectacle, Valen decides to find a more open space to be instead of next to the building in which the other former slaves are sleeping. With a happy gait, Valen walks through the town, a small army of chanting children behind him.

_______________________________________________________________________

"Aunty Belinda, how have you been," Sidney asks as she watches children smile and play around Varen, who continues to cook Pancakes for them.

“I am good child,” Balinda answers slowly, distracted by the spectacle in front of her.

“When I heard from the townspeople of a swarm of children chanting, I thought it was something completely different.” shaking her head, a smile forming on her face.”In one day, that Valen has gained the love and respect of all the children and parents in this town. If I even try to scold him about making such a large racket, I think the children may very well attack me,”Belinda answers, her gaze still on the children.

“Do you know where he is from?” Sidney asks.

"I have never seen a species like him in all 80 of my winters." a contemplative look crosses her face." Garren is much older than me, I think he might know. Regardless, until he learns our language, we won't be able to ask Varen either," answers Belinda, a smile still on her face.

Sidney nods in understanding. Sighing loudly as she looks at the sun, which burns with an intense heat.

Looking at her aunt, a kind smile is plastered on her face as she stares at the kids stuffing their faces with food, “A true joy to behold,” she whispers under her breath.

Looking around, Sidney smiles as she notices her friend sitting on a tree, staring at Valen, her black tail, flowing through the air with enough energy to rattle leaves.

On the edge of her vision, she notices uncle Garren walking through the town, a training sword in his hands.

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Leona strikes a leather-bound tree with a training sword, the strikes create a thumping noise that can be heard throughout the training field. Guards stare amazed as Leona quickly attacks and moves around the tree, sprinting, rolling, spinning as she attacks in various ways.

As Leona screams and strikes with a piece of wood, Garren stares at her awful form. His eyes see how she gives up finesse for power, and accuracy for speed.

Remembering the promise he made to his son, Garren takes a step forward into the training grounds.

"Your form is pathetic," he yells,"You fight like a rabid animal," he taunts as he takes leisurely steps towards Leona.

"I am Leona, daughter of Grendel, do not insult me," she yells, anger clear on her face.

A smile forms on Garren’s face.”No, you are just a little kitten with anger issues,” he interjects.

An angry snarl escapes Leona’s mouth,”How dare you insult me,” Leona yells back, mana starting to course through her body,”you are just an oversized cow” she yells as her sword turns to point at Garren.

Shaking his head, Garren prepares his training sword,”Then come little kitten,” He says, as the strands of mana course through his body, intertwining around his muscles, compressing and strengthening.

With an angry scream, Leona’s mana explodes and her fur starts to smoke. With one leg, she propels herself faster than most eyes can track.

Garren smiles as he turns around and spins his sword out, mana pulses quietly through his body, increasing his speed to counter Leona’s predictable charge.

Realizing that she would not be able to match strengths, Leona instead dodges the incoming sword strike to the left, only to find a quick elbow slam into her side. The blow forcing the air out of her lungs and her training sword falls out of her hands.

As she quickly gets up, she catches the training sword thrown at her.

“Predictable,” Garren retorts,“ all that speed means nothing if I can predict where you go or where you dodge. Unless you know your opponent’s level of skill, do not create so many openings” Garren mocks as he twirls his sword casually in his large hands.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“You elbowed me,” Leona yells, anger taking over again.

"Then don't let me," Garren says, a cocky smile on his face.

With another scream, Leona rushes Garren and starts to run around him, but with each attempt, Garren counters in a variety of ways. Quickly the battle turns one-sided as Leona realizes that she cannot win. All her anger slowly dissipates as the realization that she hasn't even landed a hit comes rushing in.

Slowly Leona stops running and quickly falls to her knees, tears streaming down her face.

Garren watches as the fight leaves her, and an understanding smile crosses his face. Walking towards Leona, Garren sits next to her, eyes forward, staring at the training tree.

"You know, about 30 years ago, I met a tiger Beast-kin that is similar to yourself. He was very cocky, constantly spewing nonsense about his heritage and using his strength and speed to overpower others." Garren slowly looks up into the clouds,"That cocky guy picked a fight with me, so I told him to put his sword where his mouth is."

Leona looks up at Garren, interest prevalent in her eyes.

"When I fought him, he tried to utilize his speed to make it impossible for me to react"He turns to Leona as she sits on the ground,"So I taught him that his speed means nothing against overwhelming skill," a vicious smile crosses his face." Every attempt to strike me, I predicted and countered with my own. He made a cocky mistake when he tried to attack me from above."A smile forms on Garren's face as he stares at Leona."I punted him into a house with my warhammer,"

"Did he die?" Leona asks, curious on the outcome.

Slowly Garren gets up, looking down at Leona a smile crosses his face."You wouldn't have been born if he did," and with that last comment, Garren walks out of the training grounds.

Leona continues to sit, mulling over the information provided."father," A smile forms on her lips,"So you lost too," Taking a deep breath, Leona picks up her training blade and starts to copy the forms of the other guardsmen as they practice diligently.

_________________________________________________________________________

"Who is the leader of that town," Wukong asks as he stares at the high walls of Brentanol." I did not think we had a town so far out into the forest."

"The town is named Brentano, and the leader is a Bear-kin by the name of Garren," the centaur answers as he struts with the Elkin at his side.

"Well, it doesn't matter then," Wukong says,"clearly they are friendly. Let's get some information from the town, hopefully, the survivors will know more about those orcs." And with a slight nudge, the pace of the Elkin increases, the centaur not far behind.

___________________________________________________________________

Valen, having fed and played with the kids, walks across the street, Lin following behind as he stares at the various stores and what they sell. A Smith negotiates with a guardsman over the price of a blade. A woman with a baby in her arms carry a small sack to pick up foods. As Valen continues to walk, he finds Belinda and an armored monkey man talking amicably. Armored men stand at the ready, staring at the guards behind Belinda. Curious, Valen trudges closer.

"I demand to speak with those villagers," Wukong yells, frustration clearly present on his face.

"And I am telling you that you will have to wait for my husband to show up. I can't just allow an armored group to stroll through my town," Belinda answers, "I don't fucking care if you are the fucking general. Either wait for my husband or get the fuck out," Belinda glares menacingly.

As the two continue to glare at each other, they are interrupted by Leona as she strolls past the guards." What is happening here," She asks, authority coming easily to her. As Leona stands next to the tall Bunny-kin, a speculative expression forms on her face, Wukong finally takes a look at her.

"Ahh, you are Leona, daughter of Grendel," Wukong says, understanding coming to his eyes when Leona nods. Smiling, Wukong takes off his metal helmet and looks Leona in the eyes."I am Wukong, current general of the Beast-kin army. Your father Grendel is dead"

Leona's eyes immediately widen. With the realization that her only other parent is dead, she immediately falls to her knees. Tears start to pour out of her eyes as she remembers her father, the warm smile he always gives her, and her first hunting lessons from him.

Lin, having heard that her father is dead, sprints towards her sister, tears forming in her eyes. Immediately Lin embraces her sister, wrapping her little hands around her head.

Valen walks closer to the crying duo as Wukong stares with complicated eyes as some of the guardsmen start to cry a well. Slowly Wukong's anger starts to rise.

"Stop crying for that piece of shit of a man," Wukong yells as he grabs hold of Lin by the neck and kicks Leona to the ground. He then throws the squealing Lin at a tree, where she lands face first."Leona, your father was a pathetic general that got many of the most powerful men killed" he yells at Leona, tears still streaking down her face.

Valen watches as Lin flies through the air and slams into a tree and her body falling on the ground facing Valen. Blood starts to fall from a cut on her forehead. Valen watches as the blood drips down her face and into her fur.

Valen immediately starts to walk towards Wukong, fury evident on his face. The guards and soldiers ignore Valen as he struts closer and closer to Wukong, no weapon in sight. Valen pulls his arms to the side and summons his mana. Wukong, distracted by his anger, does not notice Valen a meter away.

"Fucking monkey shit," Valen screams as he swings his arms. A metal bat materializes in his hand mid-swing. Wukong has only enough time to position his face towards Valen as the metal bat strikes his unarmored head.

An exceptionally loud ding is heard as Wukongs face deforms from the massive impact of steel. Wukong rises an inch into the air and immediately falls to the ground, unconscious. His jaw is completely destroyed, teeth missing, and his nose has blood pouring out in spurts. Valen stares at the downed Wukong and spits at his face. Immediately Valen starts to walk towards Lin as she continues to cry, the dented metal bat disappearing from his hand.

Silence permeates the two forces, as neither the Guards or armored men make a move as they stare at the retreating back of Valen, fear, and confusion evident in their expressions.

Finally, a large centaur walks forward towards Briana."Who is that man?" Centurion asks, eyes still focused on Valen as he starts to clean Lin up?

"That is the man that single handedly took out an entire company of orcs," Belinda says, a cryptic smile on her face."I highly suggest you pick up your leader and camp outside the walls, it doesn't seem like he will be able to continue our conversation today," Belinda says, complete confidence in her words.

Nodding slowly, Centurion turns to the men," pick up the general and give him a healing potion. Make camp outside the walls, I will catch up shortly," Centurion turns back to Belinda," I don't suppose it would be alright to talk to Garren tonight, will it?" he asks, eyes still focused on Valen as he carries Lin back to their home.

Nodding slowly,”As long as it is only you and none of your men, then that will be acceptable.” Balinda answers, smiling at the retreating form of Valen.

Belinda turns to Leona, a sad smile donning her face." Leona dear, please get up and come with me, I would like you to spend the night at my place.

Looking up at Belinda, Leona nods as she watches her sister being carried away.