The next morning, they packed up camp, tying the panther to the back of their cart with thick rope. Im cast a calming spell on it to keep it from struggling too much, but it still growled and snarled the whole way back to Linden Pine Valley.
When they got to the valley, the other mages and villagers were shocked to see the huge black cat.
"What in the world is that?" one of the village farmers asked, pointing at the panther.
"It's a mutant panther from the mountains," Im said, untying it from the cart. "We found it while exploring a waterfall camp. It's not magical, just very big and strong. We're going to keep it in a pen near the greenhouse until we decide what to do with it."
Leon's dad, Garin, came over, his eyes wide. "That thing is huge! Where did you find it? It's bigger than any cat I've ever seen."
"Up in the mountains, near a waterfall," Leon said, grinning. "We're going to study it, see what made it grow so big. Maybe there's a mineral in the water or soil that caused the mutation. If we can find out what it is, we could use it to make our crops grow bigger."
Garin laughed, patting Leon on the back. "You're always thinking of something new. First the fountain pen, then the glass mirrors, now a giant panther. You're going to make us all rich."
Leon smiled, walking to the greenhouse. He wanted to check on his plants, and also to write down what had happened in his journal. He also needed to finish his paper on Tai Chi and mana circulation for Wizard Monthly.
When he got to the greenhouse, he saw that his devil's grass plants were growing well. He picked a few peppers, drying them to make more powder. He also checked on his camellia trees, which were starting to bloom.
He sat down at his desk, pulling out his journal. He wrote about the expedition, the panther, and the bones they'd found. He also wrote about his new idea for a better crossbow, one that could shoot farther and faster using a more powerful cam system.
Im walked in, sitting down across from Leon. "You did well yesterday. You stayed calm under pressure, and you used your magic and tools wisely. That's the mark of a good mage."
Leon smiled, closing his journal. "I was scared. That thing was so big, I thought it was going to kill me. But I remembered what you taught me—stay calm, think before you act, and use everything you have."
Im nodded, looking at the panther, which was now in a large wooden pen near the greenhouse. "We can learn a lot from this panther. It's a mutant, so it can teach us about the environment in the mountains. Maybe there's a rare mineral in the water that made it grow so big. If we can find it, we could use it to improve our crops, or even to make our magic stronger."
Leon nodded, already thinking about the possibilities. "We could go back to the mountains next month, take water and soil samples. We could test them in the lab, see what's different about them."
Im laughed, standing up. "That's a good idea. But first, you need to finish your paper. The Wizard Monthly is waiting for it. They're very interested in your Tai Chi and mana circulation research."
Leon groaned, leaning back in his chair. "I don't want to write a paper. I want to explore, and invent new things. Writing papers is boring."
Im grinned, patting him on the shoulder. "You can do both. But the paper is important. It will help other mages learn how to use Tai Chi to improve their mana control. You could even get paid for it—they offer a 5 gold coin fee for accepted papers."
Leon's eyes lit up. "5 gold coins? That's enough to buy new tools for the workshop. Fine, I'll finish it tonight."
He opened his laptop（wait, no, in this world it's a parchment and quill—wait, no, he has a fountain pen!）He opened his parchment, pulling out his fountain pen. He titled his paper Tai Chi and Mana Circulation: A New Approach to Apprentice Training. He wrote about how practicing Tai Chi helped him control his mana more effectively, how it improved his magic resistance, and how it helped him recover from mana exhaustion faster.
By the time the sun set, he had finished the paper. Im read it, nodding in approval. "This is excellent. The Wizard Monthly will definitely publish this. You're going to be known across the empire for this research."
Leon grinned, closing the paper. "I don't want to be famous. I just want to keep exploring, keep inventing, and keep my promise to Eldrin."
Im put his hand on Leon's shoulder. "You already have kept your promise. Eldrin would be proud of you. He always said you were the most promising apprentice he ever had."
Leon smiled, looking out the window at the stars. He thought about Eldrin, about the promise he'd made to explore the ancient ruins and find out what happened to his missing friends.
"I will find out what happened to them," he said quietly. "I promise. And I will keep exploring, keep learning, and keep making this valley a better place."
Over the next few weeks, Leon and Im studied the panther, taking blood samples and observing its behavior. They also prepared for another trip to the mountains, to take water and soil samples to find out what caused the mutation.
Leon's paper was published in Wizard Monthly, and he received 5 gold coins as payment. He used the money to buy new tools for his workshop, and to build a better pen for the panther.
The panther eventually calmed down, and even started to recognize Leon, though it still growled at anyone else who came near it. Leon named it Shadow, and he would sometimes bring it raw meat to feed it.
One day, a messenger from the capital arrived, bringing a letter from the emperor. The emperor had heard about Leon's paper and his giant panther, and he wanted to invite Leon to the capital to show the panther to the royal family and to give a lecture on his Tai Chi and mana research.
Leon looked at the letter, his eyes wide. "The emperor wants me to come to the capital?"
Im laughed, clapping him on the back. "You're famous, Leon. The whole empire is going to know your name."
Leon smiled, looking at the letter. He thought about Eldrin, about his promise, and about all the things he'd accomplished.
"I'm ready," he said. "Let's go to the capital. And when we come back, we'll go back to the mountains, find out what made Shadow grow so big, and keep exploring."
He knew that Eldrin would be proud. And he knew that his adventures in Etho were just beginning.