Is this an arena or an indoor football stadium?
It's colossal. Space everywhere you look, as far as the eye can see. Rows of seats, filled with beast tamers, ladies, lords, courtiers, and looky-loos.
Vedette stands in the center of the arena. Tall but not super thin, with a triangle-shaped face and eyes that could burn a hole through me, she has to be in her mid to late teens. She gives off that older sister vibe.
Kaline stands opposite her, with me smack dab and dead center between them, like a stuffed toy they are arguing over. Except I live, I breathe, and at the moment, I really want Kaline to crush this contest. And my hackles rise at the sight of Kaline's dad.
I remember my own father, in my former life, threatening to send nine-year-old me to my room without dinner if I didn't share my PlayStation with my little brother, who was seven at the time. Kaline bonded me, fair and square, and her dad isn't even telling Vedette, "Sorry, but you can't have your little sister's tiger." What an idiot. My parents would have eaten him for breakfast.
My parents are the reason I studied so hard in law school. That was my mom's dream, to be a lawyer. For whatever reason, it didn't work out, and she really wanted me to do what she couldn't. My dad supported her choice for me. But I was happiest being outside and in nature. When I told Mom that, she reminded me that there was such a thing as environmental law. So, that's what I wanted to be. An environmental lawyer.
Wow, Kaline and her family have a lot in common with mine, except for the not enforcing boundaries with older siblings part. Maybe this is some kind of weird test to see if Kaline can carry on the family legacy. Maybe this is her dad's version of "Honey, I know you love nature, and you can always be an environmental lawyer. Some of them make good money."
Weird smells fill the air, distracting me from my memories. A crackle of energy. A smoky, fiery smell, mixed with spices. Then, bubbling and popping. Someone is brewing a potion. It's like Minecraft. There are minigames where you can make potions for beast taming.
A game screen pops up.
[Character KALINE made Sacral Power Potion for BLAZE to consume. +100 XP]
So, Kaline has leveled up because she's made a potion for me.
Squatting down, she uncorks the orange swirling potion. "This will help your sacral chakra. Your root chakra has already been stimulated. You feel safe and secure now that your basic needs are met. Now, we need to work on your sacral chakra."
It all sounds like New Age and yoga mumbo-jumbo, Or it did before I died and isekaied into a video game. My younger self loved the hippie New Age Eastern stuff, which fell in line with the whole desire to be a forest ranger or botanist or something nature-related. Because what the planet really needs is one more lawyer, right?
Kaline holds the potion up to my lips, and I latch on automatically, drinking up every drop. It tastes like ginger tea mixed with pumpkin spice. Not bad at all.
A sense of well-being shoots throughout my body.
[Sacral Chakra engaged.]
It's like a fire in my belly, or near my belly.
[Name: [Blaze]
[Class: [Novice]
[Race: [Common Tiger]
[Level: 1/10 [XP 5/100 STATUS: Full
[HP: 6/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 100/100
[Strength: 2
[Defense: 3
[Magic: 0
[Resistance: 0
[Speed: 2
[Charisma: 5
[Luck: 0
[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skill]
D*mn. Give me some more of that potion! I lick up every spare drop.
Kaline's dad laughs. "Greedy little thing, isn't he?"
I snarl at him, not bothering to hide my contempt. Look, my parents let my siblings and I fight it out on occasion, make up, and work it out. But this isn't just arguing over what TV show to watch or someone taking too long in the bathroom. Beast taming is serious business here.
Kaline's father just laughs harder. "Spirited, too."
Vedette sets to work brewing her own potion. This one smells fiery too, but with a touch of ice. "Too much spirit. He doesn't know how to show proper respect."
Kaline sticks out her tongue, then addresses me. "Don't listen to her, Blaze."
I bump my nose against her to show my agreement. No matter what, I'm staying bonded to Kaline. She reminds me of the little brother that I fought with over the PlayStation.
Finishing brewing her potion, Vedette stalks over, wearing leather lace-up boots instead of Uggs. She squats down with a potion that looks like vomit. No way I'm drinking that. Not without at least a shot of the other potion to chase it, or something stronger if I can somehow find it. Even a shot of coffee, which they have in the game, would do.
But I can't refuse to drink the stuff, and my jaws open automatically. Where's my spoonful of sugar to help this medicine go down?
YUCK!
I'd prefer the raw meat. The cold medicines I had to swallow as a kid didn't taste this disgusting. The stuff not only looks and tastes like vomit, but also, I hurl it right back up all over Vedette's boot leather.
"AAAAAGH," she howls.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes, Vedette. I never asked you to be my master.
My snarl punctuates my distaste, and Vedette stomps around for several minutes, trying to shake off the aftereffects of her potion.
Kaline scowls. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO BLAZE?"
"Nothing," Vedette says with a strange calm after sulking and emoting. "Just a little test of your bond. You both passed."
Even as I hack and cough to get the taste like dirty dishwater out of my mouth, I feel a sense of accomplishment that no law school exam could ever give me.
[Name: [Blaze]
[Class: [Novice]
[Race: [Common Tiger]
[Level: 1/10 [XP 7/100 STATUS: Full
[HP: 3/6 [MP: 0/0 [Stamina 50/100
[Strength: 2
[Defense: 4
[Magic: 0
[Resistance: 0
[Speed: 2
[Charisma: 5
[Luck: 1
[Skills: [Bite (Attack Skill] [Pounce (Attack Skill)] [Sprint (Skill)] [Camouflage (Skill]
That potion didn't agree with me, however. My world swims, and I pass out, hearing Vedette's and Kaline's horrified screams.