Fay had walked for countless hours. Thankfully, Grin was able to help with his sister. The large carnivore only needed to go out and hunt to regain its strength, but it was becoming more stable—or so the guide told him.
[You are doing well, little summoner. To have the creature's core stabilize so soon... We, the guides, are beginning to see that your race from a world called Earth holds great potential. But be careful—while we guides try to limit what kingdoms do, our influence does not reach the mortal world.]
The words echoed in his mind, catching the boy somewhat off guard.
"What does that mean? Is this a warning?"
Fay wondered what the guide implied. He was already wary of the slavery that affected the Ravari tribe.
[It is just as you imagined. Kingdoms are actively searching for survivors from Earth. Some welcome them as citizens... others, like the northern kingdom you're approaching, enslave them. So be careful, little summoner. You may be more sought after than even the cat-kin.]
Fay looked around. A caravan of a hundred or so moved slowly through a rough stretch of the savanna—dry and scorching hot from its proximity to the mountain range.
Only after passing this section for another three days would they reach the place known as the Great Forest of Feruna, a region filled with Aether... and danger.
[Relax. I've sent what you've been waiting for—a teacher to help you grow stronger, little summoner.
He should be near where the tribe settles. I'm expecting much from you—perhaps even hoping you'll bring change. It's rare for a summoner to handle more than one creature.]
Fay nodded at the guide's words. He had thought it would be impossible to find someone capable of teaching him. No one in the village had the time—especially those with creatures of their own.
Even if they did, asking for help without payment had always been difficult. And the little he once had, he'd lost in the flood.
"Did something good happen, Fayfay?"
Mira called from Grin's back, happily gazing at the endless fields of gold.
"We need to be careful, alright Mira? Never talk to anyone you don't know—or anyone who's not from the village, okay?"
Fay warned his sister and waited for her answer. The young girl didn't speak but nodded seriously before hugging the creature that had grown close to her.
"Do you want to go out and hunt, Grin? I think you are starting to get smaller…"
Fay analyzed his creature's condition. The strange hyena who grew in size depending on his mana flow was about a meter and a half big, not quite his best size.
"I don't want to get off! Grin will let me hunt with him!"
Fay sighed. Lately, it had become harder and harder to get her to listen. He was about to argue when someone approached.
[Mira, Mother Kueha wants to know if you want to practice magic with her. We're going to stop for a few hours.]
Horin called out as she approached. She didn't even glance at Fay—it was like she was ignoring him on purpose.
"You hear that, Mira? You have magic lessons. You know how important that is to Jiggz, right?"
He said the name with a bit of reluctance. The slime his sister had summoned had been given a silly name, but Fay had no choice but to accept it—it was her creature after all.
Mira eventually followed Horin, who had been ordered to escort her back by the healer—the old cat-folk woman with the ever-drooping slime.
As for Fay, it was his turn to hunt again. He climbed atop Grin—still not as confidently as his sister, who rode the creature with ease—and readied his new weapon. Since he wasn't one of the regular hunters, the tribe leader had gifted him an upgraded spear with a metal tip. That small gesture meant a lot. With it, and the help of his creatures, he could now hunt solo.
He rode away, eyes scanning the horizon. Crossing this semi-desert region was grueling. There wasn't as much game as before, and the beasts that did roam here were far more dangerous.
That was made clear during the last scuffle with a pack of raptor-like creatures. They were only about a meter tall, but fast and vicious. Their coordination had nearly overwhelmed the rear guards of the caravan.
Thankfully, Jolt had stunned several with a burst of electricity, giving the warriors enough time to finish them off. No one had been seriously hurt.
Still, there was a problem.
Jolt didn't have much mana left to manifest again. The lizard wouldn't come out unless Fay had food ready—something rich in Aether to sustain both him and Grin.
"Guess we're on our own for now," Fay muttered. The spear in his hand felt heavier than usual. The air was dry. The hunt ahead would be difficult—but necessary.
As for Fay and his sister, they had dried meat—rationed portions given to each person to eat throughout the day.
"Do you smell anything, Grin? I think we're getting too far out. Make sure you can return at a moment's notice."
Fay tapped the creature's back, wondering if it truly understood him. Grin didn't stop, of course. If there was one thing his hyena had, it was a relentless nose when it came to tracking food.
"I guess you picked up the scent of something then. Let's go. I'll help you kill it fast so we can go back..."
Only a few seconds passed before Grin broke into a sprint. Fay lowered his stance, gripping tight as the wind tried to pull him off the makeshift saddle—a blanket wrapped around the creature's belly that gave him something to hold onto besides its fur.
"I see it! That huge, bison-looking creature. Go! We can handle it, right?" Fay shouted with excitement.
What he spotted was a lone bull. It stood on a rise, looking around warily, its posture tense. It looked like it had been chased all the way out here. Several small wounds marked its flanks, and it limped slightly—an easy target.
"I guess you smelled its blood. Just be careful we don't—"
Fay tugged sharply on the reins. That's when he saw it.
Behind the wounded beast, a pride of lions lingered—stealthy, patient, watching. Large predators that might have been impressive on Earth, but here, their size was average. Still, their strength lay in numbers.
"Damn it… we should pull back. One thing I was told is that a lion pride usually has a mutant or two among them. If any of them can use magic, we could be in real danger."
But his words didn't seem to reach Grin's mind. The hyena was locked onto the scent of blood, too focused to hear or care about the risk.