Beastbound: Awakening the Hunter

Oliver made his way through the forest, and as he did, two massive creatures eagerly rushed toward him. Through their mental link, he could feel their excited emotions: heat, flames, power.

The two beasts took turns using their claws to push a glowing scale in front of him. Given the size of the serpent that it came from, even a single scale was about the size of a human face, making it look incredibly impressive.

The creatures, a large tiger and a wild boar, had been frolicking through the forest when they stumbled upon the glowing object. The tiger, though still wary, hesitated, unsure of the danger. After all, it had fallen off a terrifying giant serpent, and most animals would avoid it.

But the boar, now evolved with a horn on its head and turned into a magical beast, was different. It was far smarter than before and wasn't intimidated by the serpent’s aura. It sensed that this object could be valuable and urged the tiger to help it carry the scale back to their cave, hiding it until Oliver arrived.

It seemed that Oliver’s luck was unusually good.

Reaching out, Oliver was surprised to find that the scale, though it had fallen off the serpent the previous night, was still burning hot. He quickly wrapped a layer of magic around his palm, just enough to protect himself before touching it again.

The scale was incredibly hard, almost like glass, smooth to the touch but surprisingly flexible, able to bend without breaking. What struck him as even stranger was the overwhelming heat and fire magic that still lingered on the scale, as if it hadn’t faded in the slightest.

“This has to be something special... but what exactly can it do?” Oliver wondered aloud.

He had two choices now: the first was to take the scale to the black market blacksmith, Andre, and sell it to him. The second was to bring it back to the academy and consult with Professor Arcanus to find out its true value.

After a moment’s thought, Oliver chose the latter. The black market was simply too dangerous. Given the scale’s origins—coming from a monstrous serpent—he couldn’t risk not knowing its full value. The black market was full of shady characters, and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to handle any trouble that came from selling it there. Plus, he didn’t want to be swindled by Andre, the blacksmith.

It was better to take the scale to the academy and ask Arcanus about it.

“You two did great!” Oliver said, patting his two pets on the head. “Next time, if you find anything strange or magically charged, hide it and bring it to me!”

Pleased with the praise, the tiger and boar rolled happily through the forest, causing the trees to shake with their excited movements.

With a final sweep of the area for any remaining game, Oliver gathered a few more animals and made his way back to the small town.

At the Oak Barrel Tavern, the owner, Gavin, greeted him enthusiastically.

“Lord Stark, you’ve finally arrived!” Gavin exclaimed. “Wow, no wonder you’ve become a core apprentice! Look at these catches!”

Gavin counted the creatures Oliver had brought in: a gazelle, a unicorn deer, and two red foxes. These were fast, elusive animals—precious game that was nearly impossible to catch for an average hunter.

If this had been a few weeks ago, people might have been suspicious of Oliver bringing in such rare game. But now, as a core apprentice at the academy, it wasn’t strange at all. In fact, it was perfectly normal for someone in his position to hunt more than most others.

“80 silver coins. How does that sound?” Gavin offered, the price much higher than usual.

The value of the game wasn’t the only reason for the generous offer. More importantly, Oliver was now a core apprentice, and could one day become a fully-fledged mage. Gavin knew how important it was to stay on his good side.

“Core apprentice?” One of the other patrons, overhearing the conversation, asked in disbelief.

“Wait, are you sure? I’ve heard that even some noble youths can’t become core apprentices. And Stark? Really?”

“Yeah, that’s huge! Core apprentice, that means he’ll become a real mage someday!” another person chimed in, still shocked.

Gavin smirked. “Do you think I’d be wrong about this? You really think Stark doesn’t have what it takes?”

The tavern went silent for a moment. The rowdy drunks who used to make fun of Oliver were now clearly uneasy. The words “mage,” “lord,” and “core apprentice” carried too much weight for them to ignore.

Gavin leaned closer. “Lord Stark, my family is hosting a dinner tonight. You must come! It would be an honor to have you there!”

Oliver nodded. “Don’t worry, I’ll be there. 312 Oakleaf Street, right?”

“Exactly! That’s the one!” Gavin responded, practically glowing with pride as he escorted Oliver out of the tavern.

As soon as Oliver left, the quiet tavern erupted in heated conversation.

“Who would’ve thought that the son of a farmer would actually become a mage?” one man said.

“My gods, I should’ve had my daughter marry him when I had the chance!” another lamented.

“It’s too late for regrets now. He’s going to be a mage, and who would want your tailor’s daughter?” someone teased.

“Haha, this kid’s a legend!” someone else remarked.

Gavin, clearly enjoying the attention, was swarmed by people eager to hear more details. “Come on, Gavin! You know all the juicy bits. Tell us everything!”

Gavin just sneered at them. “What’s so interesting about a mage’s business? You think you deserve to know?” He gave them a dismissive look, his aloof demeanor now in full display, a stark contrast to the warm, friendly smile he’d given Oliver.

With his silver coins in hand, Oliver quickly walked back toward the academy.

Passing by the bustling Champs-Élysées street near Oakridge Academy, Oliver couldn’t resist buying a bag of honey candies for five silver coins—a rare indulgence for him. The price was steep, but sugar and honey were precious commodities in this world.

He had long craved the treat but hadn’t been able to afford it before. Today, however, with his newfound success, he allowed himself this small luxury.

But as he was about to leave the candy shop, Oliver paused. He overheard some of the shop attendants chatting, and their words caught his attention.

“Did you hear about what happened in the forest last night?”

“Yeah, there was a huge commotion. Two massive beasts fighting. Do you think they’ll come to the town?”

“What’s to worry about? The mages are around. They won’t let any monsters get close. But you know what? I heard the fight had something to do with those adults.”

“Really? Tell me more.”

“I heard it was connected to the tax officer’s little assistant. Apparently, her teacher…”

The voices dropped to whispers, and the conversation seemed more secretive.

A tax officer’s assistant? That must be Isabella.

Oliver was stunned. Last night’s terrifying beasts had something to do with Isabella’s teacher?