The golden-white light spread from Kael's palm like liquid sunlight, flowing across Lyssa's shoulder and down her body in waves of gentle warmth. It was visible even in the bright morning light—a radiance that seemed to push back shadows and make the air itself shimmer.
Vera, Ember, and Granite all watched with rapt attention. Through his bond with Vera, Kael felt her intense curiosity mixed with confidence—she believed in him, believed this would work. Ember radiated hope so strongly that it was almost tangible. And Granite, the massive crystal ox, took a protective step closer to his tamer, though he remained far enough back to not interfere with whatever was happening.
The light lasted perhaps thirty seconds, though it felt longer to Kael. He focused everything he had into the ability, willing it to work, to heal whatever was wrong with Lyssa, to fix the curse or condition or whatever cosmic joke had plagued her for who knew how long.
Then the light faded, dissolving like morning mist under sunlight.
Kael lowered his hand, his heart pounding. "Did it work? Do you feel any different?"
Lyssa stood very still, her brows furrowed as she seemed to examine the air in front of her—or maybe examine herself internally in some way Kael couldn't perceive. Her expression was difficult to read, caught somewhere between confusion and wonder.
"I..." she started, then paused. "I don't know. Nothing feels monumentally different. But there's this... It's like a weight I didn't know I was carrying just got lifted. Something on my shoulders that's been there so long I'd forgotten it was there at all."
Her hand moved to her own shoulder, touching where Kael's hand had been moments before. "What was that? That light—what did you do?"
Kael chose his words carefully. "Just a little trick I picked up. Something I can do."
"That wasn't just a 'little trick,'" Lyssa said, her eyes sharp despite the confusion. "That was powerful. I could feel it, like... like something fundamental shifting inside me."
"Did it help?" Kael asked, deflecting rather than explaining. "Do you think your bad luck is gone?"
"I have no idea," Lyssa admitted. "The bad luck isn't something I can feel directly. I only know it exists because of what happens around me. We'd need to wait, see if things still go wrong at the same rate." She studied him intently. "You're not going to explain what that actually was, are you?"
"Not right now," Kael said honestly. "Maybe later, when I know you better. When there's more trust between us."
He expected her to push, to demand answers. Instead, Lyssa considered his words and then nodded slowly. "Fair enough. You barely know me. I can't expect you to share secrets after one day." A slight smile crossed her face. "Besides, if that actually worked—if you somehow fixed whatever's wrong with me—I'll owe you more than I could ever repay."
Granite had relaxed once the light faded, and he saw his tamer was unharmed. The massive ox moved back to his position by the cart, settling into patient waiting. Through Vera's bond, Kael felt her certainty that the healing had worked. She trusted his abilities implicitly, even when he wasn't entirely sure himself.
Ember chimed brightly, circling Lyssa once before returning to perch on Kael's shoulder. Her emotions through their bond were pure happiness—she believed they'd helped their new friend.
"Well," Lyssa said, adjusting her pack and checking her weapons, "I guess we'll find out soon enough if it worked. For now, we have a job to do. Five mythbeasts aren't going to catch themselves."
They continued their walk to the western forest, falling into a comfortable if somewhat contemplative silence. Ember, unable to contain her energy, launched herself from Kael's shoulder and began flying elaborate circles around Granite's massive head.
The crystal ox watched the tiny fire fairy with what could only be described as bemused patience. He didn't seem bothered by her antics—if anything, he appeared charmed by her enthusiasm. Ember performed aerial loops and spirals, chiming happily, and Granite responded with gentle rumbles that might have been laughter.
"I think Ember's made a new friend," Kael observed with a smile.
"Granite's always been good with smaller creatures," Lyssa said, watching her companion with obvious affection. "He's patient by nature. Probably why he tolerates me despite everything."
"He doesn't tolerate you," Kael corrected. "He loves you. That's obvious just watching how he responds to you."
Lyssa's expression softened. "Yeah. He does. And I love him right back, which is why I'd never force him into combat he hates just because that's what most tamers expect."
After about twenty minutes of walking, they reached the treeline. The western forest rose before them—less dense and foreboding than the forest where Kael had fought the thunder-horse, with more space between trees and better light filtering through the canopy. It looked peaceful, almost inviting.
"So," Kael said, looking at the forest and then back at Granite and the cart. "What do you think? Should Granite stay here at the treeline to guard the cart, or do we try to find a path wide enough for him to follow?"
Lyssa considered the options, her eyes scanning the forest edge. "Normally, I'd say bring him along—he's good protection even if he won't fight. But the cart's valuable, and leaving it unguarded this close to the forest is asking for trouble. Besides, Granite can defend himself if anything tries to mess with him."
As if to demonstrate, Granite stomped one massive hoof, and the crystals on his shoulders caught the light, throwing prismatic reflections that made him look even more imposing than usual.
"He'll be fine here," Lyssa decided. "And honestly, we'll move quieter and faster without the cart. Small mythbeasts are skittish—having a ten-foot crystal ox stomping around behind us would probably scare them off."
"Fair point," Kael agreed. He approached Granite and reached up to pat the ox's shoulder—or at least as high as he could reach, which was the lower part of the creature's massive chest. "Guard the cart, buddy. We'll be back with some new friends."
Granite rumbled acknowledgment, settling into a watchful stance that made it clear nothing would be disturbing his cart while he stood guard.
Kael, Lyssa, Vera, and Ember entered the forest together. They moved at a moderate pace—not trying to be completely silent, which would be impossible and exhausting, but also not crashing through the underbrush like a herd of elephants. The goal was to seem non-threatening to any mythbeasts they encountered.
"So," Lyssa said after a few minutes of walking, "tell me about your team. How long have you had Vera and Ember?"
"Not long," Kael admitted. "I'm pretty new to this whole taming thing, actually. Met Vera first—she was injured, I helped her, and we bonded. Ember came along shortly after."
"Two bonds that quickly is unusual," Lyssa observed. "Most people take months or years between bonds, if they even make a second one at all."
"Yeah, I've noticed that. But Vera and Ember just... fit. Like they were meant to be part of my team."
As they walked, Kael continued what had become his routine—having his companions train. Vera lifted small objects with her psychic powers—a fallen log that she made hover and rotate, then set back down gently. Her movements were precise, controlled, building strength and finesse simultaneously.
Ember practiced her flame compression, creating small fireballs between her tiny hands and condensing them down to marble-sized orbs before dispersing them. Each compression lasted longer than the last, the flames burning brighter and hotter as she held them.
Lyssa watched this training with growing fascination. "Why are you making them practice while we're trying to find mythbeasts? Won't all this power display scare them off?"
"It's not intense enough to be threatening," Kael explained. "We're keeping it low-key, non-aggressive. But every moment we're not training is a moment wasted. The stronger they get, the better prepared we'll be for whatever challenges come."
"But why this kind of training?" Lyssa pressed. "Why not just have them fight other mythbeasts—sparring, not killing—or consume elemental crystals to power up? That's the normal method."
Kael considered how much to explain. "Combat training is definitely part of the plan. And I'm interested in learning more about elemental crystals—I've heard they can accelerate growth. But I believe in comprehensive training. Building fundamental skills, not just relying on fights and consumables."
He watched Vera rotate her floating log faster, then slow it down, then change direction. "Power without control is dangerous. Control without power is insufficient. We're building both."
"That's... surprisingly philosophical for someone so young," Lyssa said. "How old are you again?"
"Seventeen," Kael confirmed.
"And you're already thinking about training methodologies and balanced development?" She shook her head. "Most seventeen-year-olds are just excited about having mythbeasts and want to fight everything in sight."
"I've always been a bit different," Kael said, which was the understatement of both his lives. "Besides, have you seen what's out there? Dragons, legendary beasts, creatures that could level cities if they decided to? You can never be too strong in a world like this."
Lyssa was quiet for a moment, then nodded slowly. "Okay. That's... actually a really good point. I've been so focused on just surviving and completing jobs that I never thought about the bigger picture. About what might be out there beyond the relatively safe areas around cities."
They walked for another fifteen minutes, encountering nothing more dangerous than a few squirrels and a fox that watched them from the underbrush before disappearing. The western forest lived up to its reputation for being peaceful—Kael could hear birds singing, see butterflies drifting between flowers, and feel a general sense of tranquility that was worlds away from the deadly forest where he'd fought the Gorethon and thunder-horse.
"Can I ask you something?" Lyssa said suddenly.
"Sure," Kael replied, guiding a branch to orbit Vera like a very slow satellite.
"Do you think... could I train Granite like this? The way you're training Vera and Ember?"
Kael considered the question. "What are his abilities? You said he's crystal-type, but what can he actually do?"
"His crystals are incredibly tough—defensive, mostly. He can grow them larger or reinforce them if he needs to. And he's strong, obviously. Probably one of the strongest mythbeasts in terms of pure physical power in the entire region."
"So his strengths are defense and strength," Kael said. "Even if he doesn't like fighting, I bet he'd benefit from training. Not combat training necessarily, but exercises that make him stronger, that refine his control over his crystal growth. Think about it—even if he never wants to fight, being able to protect you better would probably make him happy."
Lyssa's expression brightened. "You're right. Granite's protective of me even if he won't seek out fights. If I framed training as 'getting better at keeping us safe' rather than 'preparing for combat,' he might actually enjoy it."
"Exactly," Kael said. "Training doesn't have to be about aggression. It can be about improvement, about becoming the best version of yourself—or in this case, himself."
Through his bond with Vera, Kael felt her approval of this reasoning. She'd never been aggressive by nature either—her strength came from necessity and the desire to survive and protect. Training that focused on those goals felt more natural than training focused purely on dominance or violence.
They continued deeper into the forest, Vera and Ember maintaining their training while Kael kept his senses alert for any sign of mythbeasts. Lyssa moved with practiced ease through the undergrowth, her experience in wilderness tracking evident in how she read the forest—noting broken branches, disturbed earth, and the patterns of animal movement.
Eventually, they reached a clearing—a natural open space perhaps fifty feet across, with grass and wildflowers growing in the patches of sunlight that made it through the canopy. A small stream burbled along one edge, providing fresh water.
"This is perfect," Lyssa said, surveying the area with approval. "We can use this as a base. Rest here, then explore in different directions, return here to regroup. It's central enough that we can cover a good portion of the forest while maintaining a fixed point."
"Good thinking," Kael agreed. He set down his pack—containing the lunch Elara had given him and some water—and Vera immediately flopped down in a sunny patch, stretching like a cat and soaking up the warmth. Ember settled onto a nearby rock, her flames dimming slightly as she rested from her aerial acrobatics.
Lyssa unpacked some provisions as well—dried meat, nuts, and a water skin. They sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, just breathing, listening to the forest, letting themselves adjust to the rhythm of the wilderness.
"So," Kael said eventually, "we need five mythbeasts. Small, non-aggressive, healthy. What are we most likely to find in a forest like this?"
"Lots of options," Lyssa said, pulling out a small journal and flipping through it. "I keep notes on regional mythbeasts. Western forest is known for having rabbit-types with various minor abilities—earth manipulation, enhanced speed, and minor healing factors. Bird-types with air manipulation or minor thunder abilities. Small canine species that make loyal companions. Maybe some feline types, if we're lucky, though those are rarer."
"Any of those sound suitable for the bonding program?"
"All of them, honestly. The guild doesn't specify exact types, just that they need to be small, healthy, and manageable for new tamers. Young people doing their first bonding, or adults who never had the opportunity before." She smiled slightly. "It's actually a nice program. Gives people chances they might not otherwise have."
Kael found himself genuinely invested in the job beyond just the payment. The idea of helping people form their first bonds, experience that incredible connection he'd found with Vera and Ember—that felt meaningful in a way simple hunting or escort jobs wouldn't.
"Alright then," he said, looking at Ember, who was resting on the nearby rock. "Actually, I have an idea. Ember is small, non-threatening, and can fly. What if we send her to scout and try to gently guide any suitable mythbeasts back to this clearing? She's friendly by nature—small creatures might be more comfortable following her than approaching us directly."
Lyssa considered this, her expression thoughtful. "That's... actually clever. Small mythbeasts are often curious about fire-types, especially ones as non-aggressive as Ember appears to be. And guiding them here means we can assess them in a controlled environment rather than trying to catch them in dense forest."
"Exactly," Kael said. Through his bond with Ember, he felt her immediate enthusiasm for the plan. She loved making new friends, and this would be perfect for her social nature. "If it doesn't work, we can always search on foot. But it's worth trying the easier method first."
"I like it," Lyssa agreed. "Let's give it a shot."
Kael turned to Ember, speaking aloud while also communicating through their bond. "Ember, can you fly through the forest and look for small mythbeasts? If you find any that seem friendly and calm, try to guide them back here to us. Nothing aggressive or dangerous—just small, peaceful creatures that might make good companions for new tamers."
Ember chimed brightly, her flames flaring with excitement. Through their bond, Kael felt her complete understanding of the task and her eagerness to help. She launched herself into the air, circling the clearing once, then darted off into the forest with purpose.
"Now we wait and see if this works," Kael said, settling back down. "Stay alert, though. Even peaceful forests can have surprises."
They prepared to begin their search in earnest, and Kael found himself wondering: How long would this quest actually take? Would they find five suitable mythbeasts quickly, or would it take days of careful tracking and patient observation?
Either way, he was committed now. They had a job to do, and he intended to do it right.
Through his bonds, he felt Vera's readiness and Ember's enthusiasm. Whatever came next, they'd face it together.
Just like always.