Zamel finds out early in the morning why the Patriarch of Bisdoma emphasizes the importance of resting early.
He had already expected to be awakened at around five in the morning. But unfortunately, he was wrong.
Right now, he stood before a huge door, accompanied by the Patriarch of Bisdoma and his butler, Bennett, at three in the morning. He hadn't even been able to wash his face or drink any coffee before he was unceremoniously dragged from his bed after being jolted awake by a loud crash—the sound of his door being kicked open.
"Alright, kid, we'll start your training at eight in the morning after you get your first tamed beast. After that, you'll eat and wash yourself before we proceed—if you even have any time left before training starts. So, you better hurry up forming a bond, or you'll be training while feeling like shit," Lord Vilfred said with a smirk.
"Why do I need to get my first beast now? I thought I would focus on my martial prowess first, along with mana training, before you'd allow me to form a bond. So why do I need to tame one now?" Zamel asked, confusion evident on his face.
"Kid, there's no need for me to train you in those things. From what I've heard from your old man, he said you already have a good foundation in martial prowess, while your talent in mana is shit. But now that you have a core, you'll at least be somewhat decent at it. Plus, that stuff is way too boring to teach. So, Benny here will help you with that, while I'll focus on the more important stuff which is your class," he said before continuing. "Well, now that I've answered your question, let's go tame your bond. We don't have time to dilly dally" He finished speaking as he pushed open the door without waiting for the two people beside him.
Zamel didn't have time to react to the burly man's words about his talent in magic—and even if he did, what could he do? Get his ass handed to him by someone leagues beyond him just because his pride got hurt? Nah, he would prioritize living first, noble pride be damned.
He quickly followed behind the burly man while Bennett, the black butler, also followed, closing the doors behind them.
What he saw shocked him as he looked around. Long rows of stalls stretched before him, filled with countless beasts of varying species and sizes. As he took in the scene with his eyes, he couldn't help but feel both excitement and fear at the sight of the countless creatures housed within the stable.
He spotted a horse with two glowing horns sprouting from its head like demonic antlers, their tips shimmering with a purple glow. Its long, beautiful white mane cascaded down the sides of its neck, while its silken, lustrous fur—an entrancing mix of black and light blue—shimmered with an electrifying light, sparks occasionally flickering across its body as it lay on a patch of straw that looked far too pristine to be mere bedding.
Beside its stall, he saw a massive elephant with four long ivory tusks. Its head was encased in a bone-like shell, resembling its tusks in texture and color. Ice-like veins spread across both the tusks and its armored skull, giving it an imposing, otherworldly appearance. Its entire body was covered in a thick coat of ice-blue and white fur, which looked both soft and warm.
Nearby, he noticed two young calves covered in pristine white fur, playfully tussling with each other while the elephant, laying down near them, watched over them with a protective gaze.
They both looked so cute that he wanted to pet them, but after glancing at the giant elephant beside them, he quickly pushed the thought away with regret.
He looked around again, but this time, he gazed up at the ceiling above them.
What he saw made his blood run cold, and he almost shouted to alert the people accompanying him about the creature above.
A colossal crocodile clung to the ceiling like a lizard. Its jet-black scales absorbed light like a void, and four pairs of legs supported its long, serpentine body. Its lengthy tail, ending in a pointed tip like that of a scorpion, swayed lazily, unconcerned with the world below.
Thankfully, he was able to swallow his surprise. Although he had expected to see a beast like that, seeing one hanging from the ceiling was not something he had anticipated.
He distracted himself by looking around for more beasts within the stable.
There were so many that describing all of them seemed like a pain in the ass, so he simply admired them with his eyes.
As he continued looking, occasionally glancing up at the ceiling to check for more creatures, he suddenly heard a voice.
"Hurry up, brat. Don't get too caught up gawking at everything. Sure, they look impressive, but none of them hold a candle to the real deal—my tamed beasts. They're on a whole different level," Lord Vilfred boasted, grinning. "I'll introduce you to them sooner or later, but we don't have time for that right now."
He then clicked his tongue and crossed his arms. "You know what? You're moving like a damn snail with its balls tied up. Screw this—I'm carrying you."
Before Zamel could even react, Vilfred grabbed him like a sack of potatoes and bolted forward, running as fast as a predator on the hunt.
In what felt like only a few seconds, they arrived at a room packed with countless eggs, cubs, and young creatures, all either resting peacefully or playing with their companions in the slightly small space.
"Here we are at the nursery, kid. This is where we keep countless offspring that were either rejected by their parents or found in the wild. They're taken care of here until they're ready. This is where you'll find your own tamed beast, so look around and pick one you like." Lord Vilfred said, urging Zamel forward before he even had time to recover from his motion sickness.
Zamel took a moment to steady himself before turning to the burly man who had carried him for the second time that day. "Lord Vilfred, why would I tame a baby? Wouldn't it make more sense to go for a slightly older one? Something that's not so weak?" He asked, confusion clear on his face.
Then, Vilfred burst into laughter like he had just heard the greatest joke ever spoken by mortal kind. He wheezed and rubbed his eyes, which had started to tear up from laughing so hard.
It took him a while to calm down, and when he did, he shot Zamel a judging look—one that made it seem like he thought the boy was an idiot.
"Did you seriously think I'd let you try taming a juvenile beast? Kid, if I let you do that, you'd be mauled to death before you could even initiate a bond. And even if you did, your mind is way too weak to handle the pressure those beasts would exert to resist you. In the off chance you somehow manage to dominate or persuade one into a bond, your soul wouldn't be able to handle the load—it would break."
Vilfred scoffed and crossed his arms. "Trust me, kid, I've been through that kind of pain and survived. You don't want that happening to you. But hey, if you're that serious to kill yourself, be my guest." He finished with a shrug, almost as if daring Zamel to do something reckless.
Dissatisfaction appeared in Zamel's face after hearing his word, he was kinda disappointed that he will not be able to tame a beast at the appropriate age. But it makes sense, he already knew what The Patriarch of Bisdoma said. After all, he read those details from the countless books in their library. He was somewhat embarrassed that he forgot them due to his excitement.
He then looked around the countless baby beasts at his surroundings, each scrutinizing their details and to check out the list of what he needed for his first tamed beast.
What he wanted was a beast that could grow into his steed or at least be fast enough to move on its own, so a quadrupedal beast was at the top of his list. The elephant calf or the horse he had seen earlier might be good choices, but considering the hostile lands beyond the borders of Bisdoma, they wouldn't be ideal. Those creatures were more suited for flatlands rather than the rough, uneven terrain of a dense forest.
Flying beasts were also off his list for the same reason. They weren't ideal, considering the trees in the forest were too dense, making it difficult for birds or any other flying creatures to hunt. The thick canopy covered most of the land below, restricting their capability to search for their prey and hunt them.
So canines or felines is what he's chosen to be his first tamed beast. If he doesn't see anything he likes from those two then his next choices will be ursine, reptiles, arachnids or insects and will have to make do with them.
So, with that list in mind, he searched for the perfect (and awesome) beast that would be his first partner, accompanying him at the start of his journey. Excitement built up within him as he looked around. Seeing all types of newborn animals that looked cute and adorable only made it harder to stay focused and choose, but he stayed true to his desire.
Time passed by for a while until he saw something in the corner of his eyes. He looked toward it and was shocked by what he saw.
In one of the small spaces that separated all the newborn beasts, a lone sleeping weird beast lays in there peacefully. Why it was weird, well it's body looks like a wolf, having for legs accompanied with claws with green glowing at its tip that looks way too sharp and deadly for a baby but for some reason its whole body was covered in dark-green scales that also looks way too tough for something like it.
But what caught his eye was its head and tail. Instead of resembling a wolf, it had a relatively smooth head, lined with sharp teeth and no visible eyes, giving it a slightly draconic appearance.
Its whip-like tail appeared incredibly flexible, ending in a bone-like thorn reminiscent of a scorpion's stinger.
All of its features make it look venomous but because of its wolf-like body make it seem like something that hunts with sheer strength and ferocity. It's weird, completely weird, like this thing exists to confuse all those who see it. But, it was admirable to look at and it looks completely awesome.
As he gazed at the magnificent yet strange beast, he heard a husky, deep voice speak beside him.
"Well, you've got an eye for a beast, kid, but you should forget about taming this one. It's way too aggressive for its size, and those fangs, claws, and tail are venomous. One scratch from that, and your skin, flesh, and bones will rot as the venom spreads. You'll feel it all as you decay into a pile of disgusting, shit-like flesh. In short, you will die if you don't listen to me...
Hey, you damn brat! Look at me when I'm speaking to you!" the man grumbled, his dissatisfaction evident at the disrespectful, distracted child.
Zamel looks like didn't hear what the Lord of Bisdoma said as he stared at the beast, whose head was pointed toward him—likely noticing the gaze that bore into its body. It had no eyes, yet it somehow seemed to know exactly where the person staring at it was.
Without hesitation, Zamel spoke. "I've decided—I will tame this one," he said, his eyes burning with determination, despite the unheard warning of the burly man beside him.
"ARE YOU CRAZY?! I already told you—you'll die! You didn't hear a word I said, did you?" Lord Vilfred asked in a slightly annoyed tone.
"I know the risk of what I'm doing. That's why I've prepared for this day. I've spent countless hours in my family's bestiary. It might not be comparable to what you have here, but I know what I'm doing." Zamel replied with conviction.
"You know what? Go on, go ahead and kill yourself! I'll just tell your grandfather—that old bastard—that it was your decision to die because you're a stubborn lunatic who refuses to listen to the advice of a weak old man like me," Lord Vilfred said in an exaggeratedly sad tone, which sounded completely fake. Seeing that convincing Zamel was a lost cause.
"Benny, open the gate and let this reckless child walk straight into the jaws of death," he beckoned to the black butler with them, who carried out his master's order without hesitation.
Zamel stepped inside the enclosure where the beast resided, his steps unfaltering. After all, one must never show fear before a beast, regardless of its size or age. A single hint of hesitation would expose his weakness—and a beast would never miss such a sign.
As he got closer to the newborn beast, it stood on its legs and growled at the human who dared to approach. It let out a loud warning, a clear threat to the stubborn fool who seemed determined to get himself killed.
Zamel, undeterred by the beast's growls, continued forward. With each step, the creature's snarls grew more aggressive, but he didn't stop. Finally, he stood right in front of it, preparing himself to dodge to the side in case it lunged at him.
Just as he expected, the newborn beast jumped—but instead of attacking, it leaped backward, putting more distance between them. However, given the small size of the enclosure, it barely managed to widen the gap.
The beast continued to growl, but this time, its body trembled slightly. It was afraid.
Zamel was surprised by the unexpected turn of events. He had assumed it would attack, yet the way it retreated made it clear—it was frightened of him.
Seizing the opportunity, he quickly adjusted his strategy. Instead of forcing himself closer, he knelt down where he stood and extended his hand toward the beast, coaxing it forward like one would when trying to earn the trust of a wary dog.
"Come here, puppy… Don't be afraid… Come on…" he said in a coaxing tone, putting on his best, kindest smile to appear more trustworthy.
He tried to imitate his uncle, Lord Alaric, and his cousin, Ezekiel. Though he hated to admit it, those two were undeniably handsome in their own right.
He kept coaxing the beast without pause, and it finally paid off. The creature now stood in front of him, sniffing his hand warily while standing tensely nearby.
"Hey, puppy. I know we just met… But would you like to form a bond with me?"
"I promise you'll be safe with me. Together, we'll grow stronger—stronger than we are now. One day, we'll stand side by side at the very top, as true apex predators."
"That's my promise. Will you trust me?" he spoke in a calm, gentle tone, hoping to appear less threatening.
The newborn beast looked up at him, as though it understood his words. It tilted its head to the side, as if deep in thought. Time passed, and Zamel waited patiently for its decision.
At last, having made its decision, it stepped forward without hesitation and pressed its head against his outstretched hand.
Suddenly, Zamel found his consciousness transported to a new place. This time, he floated in a black void, where a glowing white sun radiated a primal, dangerous aura. It hovered in the middle of the space, seemingly far away, yet he felt as if it were much closer than it appeared.
He looked down at his body and saw the same thing as before—a glowing white sun. However, this one emitted something strange. It felt like an amalgamation of different forces, both dangerous and safe at the same time.
He felt a shift and turned toward the source of the sensation, where he saw the glowing white sun from before. A tendril extended from it, slowly reaching out to him—seeking him, yearning to connect, as if trying to establish a bond.
Without thinking, he did the same. Somehow, he instinctively knew how, despite never learning it. He had searched through countless books in vain for a way to form a connection with a beast, yet now the knowledge surfaced within him—as if it had been planted in his mind.
He saw himself grow a tendril and quickly directed it toward the one approaching him. Both tendrils moved slowly, painfully slow, but he remained patient, determined to merge them and solidify their connection.
Finally, the two tendrils touched, and without hesitation, they intertwined. With each passing moment, their connection grew seamless, and he felt something new—something foreign yet familiar, from another place.
A short time passed, and the connection between the two glowing suns now appeared fully merged, seamlessly intertwined with one another.
Zamel finally relaxed, and his consciousness was pulled away from the black void where the two suns resided.
He found himself back in a familiar space, still kneeling as cramps throbbed throughout his body—especially in his left knee. Sweat drenched him, and exhaustion spread through every fiber of his being.
He then felt movement in his hands and saw the newborn beast using them to balance as it stood on its hind legs. Its tail wagged eagerly, and it stuck out its tongue like an excited puppy, letting out happy, dog-like grumbles.
Zamel smiled at the sight and didn't hesitate to pat it… Him. He instinctively knew that the newborn beast in front of him was male.
He continued to pet his first bond as it let out happy growls, while he laughed at the adorable antics of the newborn beast.
"I'll name you Ulfram. It might sound silly, but it suits you—you act like a wolf pup even though you don't look like one. You're both ferocious and cute," he said, watching as his first bond grew even happier, howling loudly while wagging its tail.
He laughed at the sight, unable to contain his pride. Today, he had formed a bond and tamed his first beast.
He smiled at the thought of that.