Leo had never known warmth like this.
The pup—no, the wolf now—lay pressed against his side, its breathing slow and steady. The morning sun broke through the trees in slanted beams, igniting the dewdrops on the leaves like tiny stars. The glow of Leo's taming mark faded with the light, but he still felt it inside him—a thread, a tether, something that pulled gently at his soul.
The bond was real.
"Guess we're stuck together now," Leo muttered.
The wolf opened its eyes. That crimson-gold gaze met his again, and for a moment Leo felt a jolt—not fear, not awe, but something deeper. A recognition.
[Beast Status: Stabilized. Identity Unknown. Name?]
Leo blinked at the floating text. The interface again. It was clearer than before, as though the bond sharpened it.
"Name?" he whispered. "Okay... how about…"
He looked at the creature—black fur, blood still dried in patches, sharp, silent eyes.
"Fang."
The text shimmered.
[Beast Named: Fang][Bond Strength: Tier 1 – Fledgling]
Then, just beneath:
[Warning: Class-A Anomaly Detected]
Leo's breath hitched. "Class-A… what does that mean?"
The text faded before he could make sense of it.
Fang yawned, showing a mouth full of too-sharp teeth for his size. Leo realized then how little he knew about taming—no one in Gallow's End had ever taught him. Tamers were rare, almost mythical. Most joined guilds, others were taken by the King's Enforcers for military service. The ones who survived, anyway.
He looked down at his hands. Mud, scratches, and a faint red glow under the skin where the mark had been.
He was no warrior. He was no mage.
But he had a monster now.
And that made him dangerous.
They wandered for most of the morning, Fang limping slightly but refusing to be carried. Leo learned quickly that the wolf disliked weakness. He also noticed that small animals—birds, squirrels, even insects—avoided them. The forest quieted when they passed, like it held its breath.
By noon, Leo's stomach growled loudly. Fang stopped, ears twitching, and vanished into the underbrush. A moment later, there was a yelp—then silence.
The wolf returned dragging a half-charred hare in its jaws. Smoke trailed from the fur.
"Wait—did you burn it?" Leo asked, shocked.
Fang dropped the hare and sat, tail flicking.
"Since when do wolves use fire?"
The red eye gleamed.
Leo hesitated, then reached out with his mind, like pulling on the thread between them. It tingled.
[Skill Unlocked: Ember Fang – Passive][Beast Trait: Elemental Affinity – Fire]
Leo stared.
"You're not just some forest mutt, are you?"
Fang licked his paw.
By dusk, they reached a clearing surrounded by thick, crooked trees. In the center stood a monolith of stone—weathered, covered in moss and ancient runes. Leo felt a pull toward it.
Fang growled low.
"You sense it too?" Leo asked.
He stepped forward. The air thickened.
Then he heard it.
Hooves.
Shouting.
The clearing erupted in motion—five riders, clad in rusted armor, burst from the woods. Bandits. No, worse. Rogue Tamers. Their beasts emerged with them: a bear with stitched skin, a serpent with blades for scales, a mutated boar with black tusks.
"Well, well," one of the riders sneered. He had no nose—just a scar where it had been. "What do we have here? A freshling Tamer?"
Leo's heart pounded. "I don't want trouble."
"You've got a Class-A mark glowing like a damn beacon, boy," another said. "That wolf—he ain't normal. You're either coming with us… or dying here."
Fang stepped between Leo and the riders.
The ground scorched beneath his paws.
Leo felt the bond tremble. The fear inside him didn't vanish—but it changed. Hardened. Became resolve.
"Then try me," Leo whispered.
[Command Initiated: Engage]
Fang howled.
The clearing burst into flame.
Smoke curled through the trees as the last of the rogue beasts fled. Two of the riders lay unmoving. The others had vanished, scorched and screaming.
Leo knelt beside Fang, who panted heavily. One ear was torn, and blood stained his side, but his eyes still glowed.
"You saved me," Leo whispered.
Fang nudged him weakly.
[Bond Strength Increased – Tier 1.5][Skill Unlocked: Fire Veil – Active]
Leo stared at the monolith as the flames died down. The runes on it had begun to glow.
Something ancient was watching.
And it had taken notice of the boy with the useless gift.