Walking back while gripping the monkey by the scruff of its neck, Korthok raised an eyebrow in surprise.
"Oh, you actually caught it," he said, eyes narrowing on the creature squirming in Ash's grasp. "That's a Mimonk. Tricky little things fast, agile, and worst of all, gifted with the power to shapeshift."
"I think I want to keep it, shape-shifting is kind of cool. Do I get that power when I bond with it?" Ash stared at the monkey.
Korthok, arms crossed, replied, "Yeah. When you bond with a beast, you gain its traits… including any special abilities it has."
Ash tilted his head. "Okay… so how do I actually bond with it?"
"Well, the method I know involves imbuing the beast with your mana, so it becomes, in a sense, an extension of yourself," Korthok explained. "The more powerful the beast, the more mana it requires. In your case, your mana level is still low, since you just created your core, but it should be enough to bond with a Mimok they really aren't that strong of a beast."
Axel who's resting on a tree log , mumbled "it's that easy"
Korthok smiled. "Nope. For the beast, it's usually painless. But if it doesn't want to bond, forcing it will cause a lot of pain and it's physically exhausting for the person attempting the bond. Alright, Ash, go ahead and give it a try… let's see what happens.
Place your hands on it wherever you like, and focus on channeling your mana through your touch into the beast."
Ash held the Mimok aloft with one hand, pressing the palm of his other hand firmly against its back. "Just… imagine transferring my mana into it," he muttered. Slowly, his mana began to gather in his palm, a shimmering pulse that seeped into the Mimok through his touch.
"Eeee-aaah! Eee-aaah!"
The Mimok screamed in agony, thrashing violently.
Korthok chuckled softly. "Quite the reaction."
A swirl of green energy began to coil around them both, crackling with intensity. Ash's face tightened, beads of sweat forming on his brow as fatigue set in, the strain of channeling his mana growing heavier with every passing second.
Then, with a sharp silence, his strength gave out he dropped to his knees, gasping for breath, the Mimonk slipping from his grasp.
"I'm guessing he didn't want to bond with you," Korthok remarked dryly.
"Yeah… he's been complaining ever since I dragged him here," Ash panted.
The Mimonk sprang upright, eyes blazing. "How dare you try to force a bond on me!" it snapped, punctuating the outburst with a kick at Ash's side.
"Argh why… why do I actually feel that?" The Mimonk groaned in disbelief.
Realization struck, and the Mimok froze. "No… no, no, no!"
Ash managed a strained smile, pain flickering across his face as he turned toward the creature. "Looks like the bond worked after all."
The Mimok sank to his knees, shoulders slumping in bitter defeat.
Korthok clapped his hands once, his tone firm. "Well done, Ash your first bond. But stay focused. The land of the Pixies is close, and our task is far from over, It's about time we get going"
Ash forced himself back to his feet, steadying his breath. The group gathered in silence, their steps heavier as they pressed onward, the Mimok now reluctantly among them. At last, they reached the border, where the patrol stood waiting stern, watchful, and unwelcoming.
"We came on the request of Chief Drakonis, we sent a envoy of our incoming arrival to the Pixie king so he would be expecting our arrival " Korthok conveyed to the guards
The guards, though shorter than the lizardmen, wore sleek metal armor with their wings folded neatly against their backs. Their unsettling stares and sidelong glances put Ash and Axel on edge.
One of the guards stepped forward. "Yes we were informed. We were ordered to station here and await your arrival."
Behind him, the others whispered among themselves. "It's really just two humans… what is the King thinking?"
The leading guard's eyes snapped toward them, his voice ringing with command. "Silence! Do not question the King."
Axcel whispered to Ash "I thought Pixies were supposed to be small fairly like things"
The lead guard commanded, "Follow us. We'll take you to the king." Without hesitation, the group fell in step, trailing the guards straight to the throne room, where the king awaited.
"Ah, you've finally arrived," the king sneered, his gaze lingering on the brothers with unmistakable disdain.
Let's not waste any more time. I can barely stand to look at you," the king snapped. "I'm only doing this because Drakonis made an offer I couldn't refuse. Now, let's get started. To my left," he said, gesturing to an attendant standing nearby in more comfortable attire, "teach the human child the ways of magic."
The attendant bowed slightly. "Yes, sir."
The attendant stepped forward, eyes fixed on the boys. "You must be the one with talent in magic," he said, glancing down at Axel. "Come along. From today onward, I'll be your teacher."
Axel, who had been feeling left out, couldn't contain his excitement. "Finally! I'm going to learn to use my powers just like Ash!"
"I am Olorith," the attendant declared as he strode ahead of them. "The finest mage among the Pixies save for the king himself, of course. I must admit, I'm quite intrigued to be your teacher, especially since your magic type is Umbrael. Our first task will be to open your mana veins."
The group arrived at the courtyard behind the castle. Olorith halted and turned. "We'll conduct the ritual here. To open your mana veins, I must force my own mana into your body, flooding your blocked channels until they burst open. Be warned the process is far from pleasant."
Axel gritted his teeth. "Of course it's painful… why does everything have to hurt?"
"Very well when you're ready, find a place to sit and prepare yourself. The sooner we begin, the smoother the process will be."Olorith smiled happily