Crimson rolls off his bed, landing with a loud thump. Deidra looks at him from the meeting table, her now polished armor sitting ready next to her and a cup of tea in her hand.

“Is this going to be a morning routine?” She asks. “Echo could probably build a railing for you, unless that is how you prefer to wake up.”

Crimson grunts as he stands up, rubbing his probably bruised shoulder as he does. He spots Deidra at the table and walks over to join her.

“Hopefully not, this doesn’t happen often.” Crimson answers.

“Happened the first night we came,” Hui teases, jumping down from his own bunk. The noise of Crimson’s impact having woken him up. “Perhaps it’s every other day.”

Deidra chuckles lightly as she pours two additional cups, handing them to the late risers.

“So, where’s Echo?” Hui asks, sipping his tea lightly. “She still in the forge?”

“I’d assume she’s still with Mon,” Deidra answers.

Crimson shakes his head, looking towards Mon’s bed to see her figure underneath a blanket. Deciding it was best for all of them to wake, Crimson walks over to her bed, pulling back the cover to wake her. Instead of finding Mon’s sleeping face, he’s greeted by Echo’s dark skin.

Crimson’s eyes widen in surprise but quickly rationalize it as Echo having slept in the wrong bed. He goes to wake her up just for a tail to curl over her, laying on her side. Crimson replaces the covers and walks back to the table, quietly sipping his tea as if nothing happened.

“Did you wake them?” Deidra questions. “We will have to leave soon and I’m sure they have to prepare.”

“You can go do it,” Crimson says, his face not portraying any emotion. “I don’t think I’d survive it… W-wait, did you say them? You knew what they were doing?”

Deidra nods, not seeing a problem. Hui looks between the two of them, the topic of their conversation alluding him.

“I guess I’ll do it,” He says, walking towards Mon’s bunk. “I don’t see how you wouldn’t survive; she wouldn’t claw your eyes out for just waking… her… up.”

Hui pulls away the blanket as he finishes the sentence, realization crossing his face. Before he can reach a safe distance Echo’s eyes open groggily.

“Hello, why do you look so scared?” Echo asks, she turns to see the asleep Mon. “Never mind.”

Echo removes the tail from around her and climbs down from the bunk, her clothes still on luckily.

“Good morning, Echo,” Deidra says with a smile. “Would you like some tea as well?”

Echo nods happily, walking past Hui without a care.

“This is great!” Exclaims Echo, as she sips the drink. “What is this? I’ve never tasted tea like this.”

“Oh, it’s a homemade one I was taught as a kid,” Deidra says, smiling at the compliment. “I could teach you it if you’d like.”

Echo nods her head once again. Happy to learn the method. Hui eventually rejoins them, thinking of something.

“How did you do it without us hearing?” He asks.

“Oh, we just snuck in after you all were asleep,” Echo explains. “Wasn’t too hard with Mon’s expertise.”

Crimson nods his head, seemingly understanding.

“I didn’t think to even use mutations that way,” He says. “Mon continues to surprise me.”

“How was it?” Hui asks, a grin on his face. “Did she use the tail?”

Crimson looks at him in surprise, just for Echo to answer.

“We thought about it but she prefers to use it for leverage,” Echo says. “Would have been fun though, imagine all the techniques that could have been used.”

Crimson covers his mouth to keep his tea in, his laughter making him choke on it.

“They fit well though,” Echo says, sipping her tea as she tells them. “I have no doubt that in the future she’ll be a force to be reckoned with.”

“That’s an odd way to put it but ok,” Crimson says, keeping his head low. “Just maybe don’t do it so close next time.”

“We did it where we had to, would have been hard to do it anywhere else,” She rebuttals. “I thought we were supposed to forge weapons in the forge.”

Crimson and Hui both look very confused, Crimson simply sighs and pours himself more tea.

“Is that some sort of analogy?” Hui says on the edge of his seat.

“What about the whole bed thing?” Crimson interrupts, not letting her answer Hui.

Echo looks at him confused, until she realizes what he’s asking.

“Oh you mean that, I probably fell asleep while in the forge. Wouldn’t be the first time.” She suggests. “I guess Mon just put me in her bed.”

Crimson looks at Hui and back to Echo, the misunderstanding dawning on them.

” You’ve been talking about the gauntlets haven’t you?” He questions.

“Of course.” She confirms.

Hui and Crimson then shake their head in disbelief. Both relieved that they didn’t have to worry about that, and disappointed in themselves for jumping to conclusions.

“You want to go wait for Fey to show up, Crimson?” Hui asks. “I’m sure these two can get Mon up when they need to.”

Crimson nods, heading towards the door. Soon followed by Hui the door closes behind the boys.

The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

After a few seconds of silence after they leave, Echo begins laughing. As much as she can, no sounds come out of her mouth but it is clear she is. She is soon joined by Mon leaning out of the bunk, also laughing hysterically.

“That was great,” Mon says, trying and failing to control her laughter. “I didn’t think they’d buy it for so long.”

“It is surprising they didn’t understand I was leading them along,” Echo says, all while her body is still racked with laughter. “They were oddly ok with the possibility.”

Deidra looks between the two, still sipping her tea and smiling lightly.

-------------------------------------------------------

Crimson and Hui were sitting in the lobby, watching the group of initiates waiting for Fey. Eventually they spotted the rest of their team enter the lobby and quickly ran to join them.

“Fey should show up soon,” Crimson informs them. “Most of the initiates are here.”

Fey bursts through the front doors of the HQ with perfect timing, the lobby going quiet at her entrance.

“Oh Good, you’re all here,” She says looking at the gathered initiates. “No point in waiting, time to kill stuff.”

Fey exits the HQ, leaving all of the initiates to scramble after her.

Once Crimson and the rest of his team exit the HQ, they are greeted with a massive gust of wind threatening to blast them back. They look up to see an enormous winged creature, almost a dragon if not for it being covering in tan feathers. The creature landing across the courtyard

Everyone immediately draws their weapons, a natural reaction to something that could probably kill them with a swipe of its tail. Before anyone can seal their deaths at the hand of this beast, Fey raises her hands for them to hold.

“Unless one of you wishes to become food, lowers the weapons,” She says, walking towards the creature. “He’s pretty gentle unless you piss him off.”

Crimson places his arrow back into his quiver, still looking at the beast with suspicious eyes.

“Want to explain why a monster just landed in our courtyard?” He asks. “And also explain why we haven’t killed it yet!”

Fey chuckles as she walks underneath the creature, it’s head leaning down next to her as she scratches its chin.

“Lesson time. This is a wydran, one of the most intelligent monsters we know of, and among the few that we know are tamable,” Fey says with a grin. “This one’s name is Kitty.”

“Wait, you managed to tame a monster, and then named it Kitty?” Mon asks. “… Can I pet him?”

Fey nods, sending Mon barreling towards the creature. Despite the rather threatening movement kitty doesn’t react, simply bowing its head for Mon to pet it.

“Its mutations are incredibly powerful, and it knows it. So it’s learned. I personally battled this big guy for three days until he dropped,” Fey says, still petting the giant beast. “Instead of drinking this creature, you allow it to drink a very small portion of your blood. This apparently gives it a bit more self-control, unlike most monsters. From then on you have to train it just like a puppy, a massive feathery puppy.”

“Doesn’t being drank kill us?” Deidra asks. “You said yourself that was the case.”

Fey shakes her head.

“No, it can kill those not inducted. Civilians and such but it’s mainly due to the amount taken,” Fey answers. “The induction process gives us a certain immunity to the effects. It can still happen but it will probably kill whoever drinks. Our blood is a bit deadly to anything but monsters.”

“So what happens when this thing decides to turn on you?” Hui asks, eliciting a huff from kitty. The wind shoving him back slightly.

“It won’t. The process where it drinks your blood somewhat alters its perception of you, like you become its pack leader,” She shrugs. “Closest comparison I can think of… as long as you treat it well it’s as loyal as a guard dog.”

Mon looks between Fey and Kitty repeatedly until she jumps from next to Fey and onto the wydran. She begins petting along the creature’s neck, causing it to shake in pleasure.

“Why don’t I get the cute pets like this?” Mon asks, still rubbing the creature affectionately. “All I ever had was cats, and they’re mean.”

Everyone aside from Fey stares at Mon in confusion, the irony in her sentence completely going over her head. Fey shakes her head, annoyed by the question.

“You kept trying to keep regals as pets! Those aren’t pets, they’re monsters and not tamable ones,” The Siren yells. “Any other pet you had you got bored of, so shut up about that!”

Mon sighs at the answer, still petting Kitty. The wydran lowers its head next to Fey once again. Fey shrugs and leaps onto the creatures back, sitting just behind Mon.

“All of you are heading into the forest with your teams, Kitty and I will be watching from above to assist if necessary,” She answers, kicking Mon off the creature with little effort. “Your objective is to kill a monster and give the mutation to one of your team members without dying, I’ll be around to make sure none of you pick a fight I know you won’t win. Don’t expect me to save you though, it is still possible you’ll die before I reach you…or that I’ll let you die because you annoy me.”

Without another word Kitty lifts off into the air, heading towards the dense forest a little over ten miles from the Stena HQ. All of the initiates stare in the direction of Fey.

“I really hate her.” An unknown initiate from the crowd utters. Multiple words of agreement following the sentence.

Crimson shakes his head, scared that he’s beginning to become used to her behavior. He shrugs at the rest of his team and begins walking towards the forest.

“Well, let’s hurry,” He says with a nod of his head. “We get there too late the rest of them will kill all of the close monsters.”

Mon mockingly salutes, then bolts towards the forest. Her speed quickly outmatching everyone.

“Guess she’s the scout as well,” Deidra says. “I’ll be point when we reach the forest, I get the feeling Mon will stick to the trees.”

The rest nod, breaking into a sprint to try and catch up with Mon. The rest of the initiates doing the same.

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In less than half an hour, Echo, Deidra, Hui, and Crimson stare at the entrance to the forest. Crimson turns around to see the rest of the initiates a minute or two behind them.

“Guess they don’t have the mutations for speed,” Hui grins as he looks towards Crimson. “I guess those lunypas gave you something good.”

“No, just field work and a whole lot of angry fathers,” Crimson says, stepping towards the forest. “Trains stamina pretty well.”

Hui chuckles with laughter at the joke, Echo showing a bit of a smile as well. Deidra begins walking into the forest, just for Mon to drop down in front of her.

“Took you guys long enough,” She says with a smile. “I’ll scout ahead, just look to the trees for me.”

Not giving anyone enough time to argue Mon leaps back into the trees, the only indication of her exit being the rustling of branches.

“I suggest we do as she says, she’s most familiar with vegetation like this,” Deidra says, beginning to trek through the woods. Attempting to follow any sign of Mon’s trail. “Let’s hope we don’t get ambushed.”

Mon, Echo, and Crimson nod. Drawing their weapons and walking behind Deidra, eyes peeled for attacks.

An hour passes without any incident other than Echo tripping on a root, the root getting a seismic kick in retaliation. With another hour of walking a slight rustling in the trees causes Deidra to raise her hand, alerting the rest to the potential threat.

Deidra lowers her hand upon seeing purple eyes staring at her. Mon drops from her perch atop the tree, her landing completely silent.

“There is a berve about thirty yards in front of us, it’s sleeping in its cave,” She reports. “Its mutations should be good for Deidra, that natural armor could do wonders. Not to mention she could get a puff ball tail… that would be…adorable.”

Deidra nods, ignoring the anticipation in Mon’s eyes.

“How big is the cave? Should we draw it out or try to attack it while it sleeps?” Hui asks. “I’ve never fought one of these before but I’ve seen one, they seem pretty heavily armored.”

“This one seems pretty old,” Mon answers. “It’s covered in armor everywhere except for the eyes, nose, and ears. It was lying on its stomach so I don’t know if armor reaches there. Cave is too small to fight in.”

“I can shoot at its eye from inside the cave then draw it out,” Crimson suggests. “If we can partially blind it then fighting it should be easier.”

Everyone nods at the plan. Soon they reach the entrance to the cave, Crimson nocking an arrow as he approaches the entrance. Without a word he begins creeping into the cave, being as quiet as he can. Soon he reaches the main part of the cave, the darkness giving him no trouble with his eyes. He can see the berve sleeping in the corner of the cavern, it’s chest rising and falling as it breathes.

Crimson continues to sneak towards it, the uneven floor of the cave causing him to slow his approach. Eventually he gets a good angle on the eyes and draws his bow. As soon as the arrow pierces the eyelid the berve jumps in pain. It claws at its eye, attempting to remove the arrow. Eventually giving up with notion and deciding to deal with the danger first. It scans the room, eventually locking eyes with Crimson.

Crimson smiles wickedly at the berve, it’s movements stopped by his eyes. He pulls another arrow from his quiver and lines up the shot.