I do wonder sometimes, what had become of him, of Lhaarus. He was my strongest and fiercest son, the one I had raised with great pleasure. Yet, when I thought he had grasped what it meant to serve God, he revolted and ran away without looking back. What a heavy life…
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As he waited for the medicine to be done, he grabbed a handful of mana plants and began slowly, one by one, extracting their mana and absorbing it within his nearly dried core. Onyx’s condition should be stabilizing now… He thought with a hopeful heart, anxiety still pricking at his brain, making him restless. Please, get better… Kai glanced at the Onyx, whose soft breathing became more stable than before. After he finished extracting the last of the plants, his core had recovered to about thirty percent of its full capacity, and the star remained as dry as before.
With a weave of his wand, he raised the ground next to the campfire and created a small hole underneath, whereupon he threw another fire crystal and some sood, creating a fire. Afterward, he grabbed some leaves, as large as he could find, and threw them on the newly raised bit of earth, letting them dry.
The medicine came to a boil soon after, and he quickly took it off the fire and threw away the dregs, letting it cool down. Kai took out a decently sized piece of raw meat as well and seasoned it the best he could with the little he had, then wrapped it on the now-dried leaves and let it cook in its own fat. He also made the opening of the cave smaller, just enough for a bit of light to seep through, then undressed.
Taking some of the leftover ointment, he rubbed it on his wounds, namely the ones on his side and thigh, then checked his leg. It had bled, but not a lot and the bones seemed to be more or less fine, except for a small fracture on his ankle, which quickly inflated. He sighed, knowing there was little he could do, but put some ointment on it as well then wrapped it with a clean cloth. Then he picked up the medicine and scurried toward Onyx, shaking him awake and allowing him to drink the moderately hot liquid. Any more than this won’t be any good… He sighed and helped Onyx back to sleep after he finished the entire thing. Good boy, rest now.
Afterward, he placed another set of medicine to boil and quickly drank it as soon as it finished. Its bitter taste almost made him puke, however, he forcefully downed it and wiped his mouth clean. Its warmth spread all throughout his body and a wave of life force rushed through him, making his cheeks flush red. However, the immediate effects could not be denied as his body instantly began to relax, and he soon fell into a deep sleep as his eyelids closed shut.
…
Kai awoke, drenched in sweat and a rumbling belly as the fire before him had almost completely burned out. The meat wrapped within the leaves let out a sizzling sound accompanied by a delightful flavor as he opened them up. Onyx’s nose twitched and he almost instantly got up from his slumber, dragging his body close to the fire and placing his head upon Kai’s thigh. The boy stroked his soft fur and giggled lightly to himself.
Hungry
Onyx’s thought echoed in his mind, and, despite his shock at the matter that they could somewhat communicate, he began to accept it as a matter of fact.
Soon, we eat.
Onyx nodded at Kai’s words and gently licked his snout, waiting for the boy to give him his share. Kai didn’t stand on ceremony and quickly took up a knife, then cut the meat into a few even slices before letting it cool down on another, newly raised piece of earth. Onyx barely held back his drool from drenching Kai’s leg, and he hesitated to leap at the food before he got the approval.
Stay put, you’ll hurt yourself even more. Kai warned the Obborik, and he only let out a yelp in response but patiently did as instructed. He didn’t have to wait long, though, as the meat got to an acceptable temperature to eat, and Kai grabbed 2 parts of it and gave the rest to Onyx. The Obborik immediately devoured them, barely chewing as he swallowed without hesitation. Kai wanted to do the same but stopped himself and took large enough bites that he wouldn’t choke.
More!
Kai sighed upon hearing that and took out yet another piece of meat which he then began wrapping in leaves for it to cook. Like this, good! Onyx cried out inside his mind, and, thinking that the two pieces were enough for him anyway, threw the raw meat to the Obborik. Onyx grabbed it with his paws and began ripping pieces away before chewing and swallowing them.
Well, at least you like it good enough like that. Kai thought, unsure if Onyx heard what he said or if it was all in his mind for the moment. Either way, he couldn’t quite control when the two could communicate and when they could not. I’d have to look into it… but Hydeoshi said that there are few Beast Masters alive these days… He then looked into the distance with a longing expression. The academy…
However, such a thing remained out of reach still, as he said he would join when he had fifteen years. Still such a long while, but it gives me time. He pulled out a map and stretched it before him, and on it popped a few light points. So I guess this is what she meant for ‘like a video game’ or whatever she said. It’s a clear mark of where I need to go to collect my stray soul pieces. The closest one is in Lustra, some are in the forest, and some are to the west. But how am I ever going to get them… not like there’s a precise location or anything.
He thought about it for some time, but no real answer came over to him. As he finished his meal, he put away the map and everything else aside from the boiling pan and some medicinal plants with which he would make another medicine to feed Onyx. The process didn’t take long, and the Obborik retreated a few notches away to savor his meat.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
Kai shook his head silently and cleaned up everything else, then stored them in his ring. The only thing left standing was the crackling fire, which he fed some more pieces of wood to. Then, he leaned back on the cave wall and stared at the burning wood, finally able to take a break from life-threatening calamities. With a slow sigh, he pulled out a blanket and covered himself, and then his eyes fell shut and drifted into the lands of dreams.
…
There was a dark forest in his dream, stretching as far as the eye could see. The leaves decorating the trees were black and gray, with a few white ones sprinkled in between. In that forest, a path made out of pebbles and dirt led the way toward a large statue. Its surface shone with a dark color, darker than the night and the forest, and its eyes bore the color of a pale, violet gem. A figure appeared opposite it, right at the beginning of the road. His white hair fluttered in the wind as he walked, a confused, fearful expression decorating his pale face.
With slow footsteps and a steady rhythm, he advanced with caution, curiously scanning the environment. That person, of course, was Kai, deeply aware that he was in a dream. Even with that knowledge, hesitation and dread crept up his spine, as the head of the giant statue peered to look at him.
It had the head of a dragon, an unbelievably large one, with sharp sets of teeth capable of tearing through everything and anything. Its violet eyes shone upon Kai like a scorching sun, sending a powerful pressure that made him shiver. Where the hell am I? He asked himself, with no one to answer him, and he took the only viable path he had.
Marching forward, he took a second to fully take in the giant size of the statue. It towered over him much like a church or cathedral would a normal person, its presence alone making him feel like dropping to his knees. Thankfully, the feeling was faint, and not strong enough for him to do as it will. However, as he approached, it grew stronger and more intense, seemingly ringing in his ears like a waterfall.
For a moment, he pondered stopping, he wanted to wake up and check up on Onyx. His curiosity had other plans, though, and so he kept advancing until he found himself at the base of the statue. He didn’t kneel or worship, but simply looked at it, and felt a weird, familiar kinship. Though he couldn’t say he’d ever met a dragon.
As he looked up at it, a trance seemed to take over his body, and, without thinking, he reached to touch it. A cold, ghastly feeling crept up his arm, and he suddenly found himself in a land he knew nothing of. What… He thought, his eyes widening at the war-stricken battlefield he landed in the middle of. However, before he could even react, a volley of arrows rained down from the sky toward his general position.
With quick reflexes, he moved his thumb toward his index finger, but a horrified expression plastered his face as he realized that his rings vanished. And the hand, the arm, clothes, and everything else of his current being wasn’t his own. Before he had time to take it all in, though, a large, transparent barrier rose before him. The arrows shot into it, but it barely budged or shuddered.
Suddenly, the thudding galloping of horses echoed in his ears, and he snapped to look back, only to meet with a large, majestic figure. The horse’s height made it so he had to look up, however, he had to bend his neck even more to be able to see the man towering above him.
He wore a set of prestigious silver armor, scratched and tattered by the countless fights it had been through. Patched covered some of its leather bindings, and yet, it stood proud. The same could be said for its owner - a man who looked to be about fifty years old, with a large head of white hair and piercing crimson eyes that sent a shiver down Kai’s spine.- He had a sharp jawline with a square, shaved face, and a big nose. The man looked ordinary from some points of view, safe for his hair, eyes, and the crown on top of his head.
His face and arms were wounded by the turmoil of war, yet he stood proud on his horse with a large, staff-like wand in his right hand and a sword by his waist.
Waving it, the barrier that protected him and the rest of his army disappeared, and another took its place. This one, however, shot toward the enemy lines like a wave, destroying everything and anything in its path. Screams of panic and terror reverberated in the air, however, the man watched the scene calmly, as if he was just a spectator.
Soon, he noticed Kai staring up at him, and a confident smile plastered his face as he willed a sword from the enemy into his hand. Then, he lowered himself and handed it to Kai, and said with a deep, pleasant voice. “Pick up the sword, kid, the true war has begun.”
…
“Hah…!” Kai gasped as he awoke, startling Onyx, who napped peacefully beside him. Cold sweat dripped down his neck, and he found his entire body trembling from head to toe for no apparent reason. The fire had long since gone out, with the only source of heat still present being the fire crystal. Kai quickly reached with relief toward his spatial ring and quickly threw whatever pieces of wood he had stored, then snuggled up to Onyx, sharing the heat.
How are you feeling? He thought, trying to communicate with the Obborik, however, there was no reply or physical acknowledgment. Didn’t work, huh… Disappointed, Kai voiced the question, and Onyx replied with a soft bark and a wagging tail. Clearly, the medicine had a positive effect on him. That, paired with the meat and good rest, must have healed his most serious injuries. I’m so jealous, he’s really resilient. A blow like that would have killed me instantly.
After giving him a visual checkup, he let out a low sigh of relief. Then, he closed his eyes, remembering the figments of his passing dream. “The true war has begun,” Kai murmured to himself the last words the impressive figure told him, however, he couldn’t quite grasp their meaning. Was I on a battlefield, that must be so, but who was that man?
However, after calming down and gathering his bearings, he realized that he couldn’t figure it out at all. The only thing that imprinted on him was the familiar feeling of that statue’s aura, its powerful, looming, and towering presence, and some sort of warmth he couldn’t grasp.
Yet his silence was disturbed by a set of passing footsteps, and he quickly rushed over to the opening he left for some light to peer through. Voices of both men and women echoed through the forest, alongside shocked gasps of horror and some gagging. Accompanying those, the sound of rattling armor became more and more prevalent the closer they got.
Kai’s heart skipped a beat upon seeing them wearing the uniform of what reminded him of the city guards, yet were different in a sense. Their armor had more flairKai stealthily pulled his wand out, yet he didn’t dare cast a spell or attack. He watched and waited, his ears perking up against the wall.
“Raymond said we need to find him.” One of the men said as he picked up the carcass of the small green gobelin. “No doubt he did that to those things…” He continued with a disgusted voice.
Raymond… wants me?
“What are they anyway?” A woman asked, staring at what remained of the gobelin. “Never seen them around.”
“Lumiera knows,” a voice replied. “Let’s just get out of here, there’s no way he lingered.”
The group of a dozen or so guards agreed and turned around to leave. However, just as they did, one of them, whose senses proved to be keener than the rest caught the hole Kai left in the wall with the corner of their eye. “What’s that, over there?” They said, pointing their finger and cautiously drawing their sword.