Tarek's muscles burned as he swung his blade and thrust the near-broken spear, cutting through another creature's neck. Its blood-soaked body crumpled, more surged forward, dark eyes glinting in the firelight. His heart thundered, not from fear, but from the thought of his family being caught.
He glanced over his shoulder, catching the fleeting sight of his wife, Morgana, vanishing into the dark woods, Argo's tiny form nestled in her arms. 'They're safe,' he thought, steeling himself against the tide.
Beside him, the Watcher, his son's bonded grey owl, screeched and dove, its talons raking across an Ashen One's face. The beast's loyalty mirrored his own, and together they held the line against the horde's surprise attack. The outpost was a graveyard of flames and fallen warriors, but he fought on, each swing of his weapons a defiant prayer.
Suddenly, the beast let out a piercing cry, and a blinding light erupted from its feathers, bathing the battlefield in a searing glow. Tarek staggered, shielding his eyes as the creatures shrieked and recoiled. In that moment, the world dissolved, and a vision flooded his mind, putting his mind at ease.
His little boy, Argo, was no longer a helpless baby but a grown man leading a vast army of people that shocked him to the core, as it consisted of many tribes outside the valley. Their banners snapped in the wind as they charged, cutting through swarms of Ashen Ones with fury.
He noticed Argo's bright blue eyes burned with vengeance, his blade gleaming as he struck down the creatures that had torn their family apart. Tarek's chest swelled, a fierce pride overtaking the pain. His son would rise, not just to survive, but to destroy the Ashen Ones, to end their terror.
A weary smile broke across his blood-streaked face as the vision faded, the blinding light dimming. The owl swooped back to his side, vanishing with a puff of smoke. Tarek gripped his sword tighter, his spirit renewed. 'Live, Argo. Avenge me and your uncles.'
With a final roar, he charged into the chaos, heart ablaze with the certainty of his son's future, ready to hold the line until his last breath. The great Tarek, the best battle leader the Varna had, vanished into the smoke, never to be seen again.
***
(15 Years Later)
Fifteen years had carved a harsh path through Morgana and Argo's lives. The heartland branded Tarek a traitor, blaming him for the loss of the outpost and a hundred warriors to the Ashen Ones. The weight fell on them, and thanks to the Council of Elders, the duo were banished from all Varna settlements.
They carved out an existence on a cliff a mile from the growing city, their home sheltered from the elements. Only the bond between Morgana and Nivara, the tribe leader, spared them a worse fate, granting them this refuge. Spear Hand Koros, the tribes second-in-command, called for their punishment.
But the elders, swayed by Nivara's wise words, held him at bay, sparing them. Still, exile was its own punishment. Morgana worked hard to keep Argo fed, teaching him to hunt, fight, and survive, her hands calloused but spirit unyielding. Now fifteen, he grew lean and sharp-eyed, his father's courage flickering in his young heart.
Each night, his gaze drifted to the skies, searching for Athena, the owl his parents had called the Watcher. She had vanished in the chaos, and even though Morgana never spoke of it, he clung to the hope that the owl would return one day. On one calm afternoon, Argo was sitting on the edge of the cliff that overlooked a sprawling swamp, bordering a forest.
His mother had gone out hunting with passing merchants as he finished collecting firewood from the woods that hid the path to their home. While sitting there, he checked the Beast Master System.
[Name: Argo]
[Level: 0]
[Experience: 0/100]
[HP: 1]
[STR: 1]
[STM: 1]
[CHA: 1]
[INT: 1]
[BP: 0]
[Skills: Beast Master (0) - Beast Vision (0) - Hunter (1) - Crafting (0)]
Argo frowned. Despite his training since being old enough, his attributes hadn't increased, and no notifications appeared since bonding with Athena years ago. A frustrated sigh escaped him, heavy thanks to the weight of their exile. Suddenly, a hoot sliced through the cliff's winds, startling him.
He spun around, heart racing, and there, perched on a branch, was Athena. The Grey Owl's piercing blue eyes glowed, fixed on him as if she'd never left. Her reappearance reignited a spark of hope. 'Hello, master. Sorry, it took me so long to return.'
Without waiting, Argo rushed forward, pulling the beast into a hug, making her chirp in surprise. She was bigger now, three times the size than when they first met, but soon a notification reappeared.
[Skill: Beast Realm Unlocked - Sorry I was gone so long, dear. I was needed elsewhere, but I'm back.]
Argo's eyes widened as Athena wiggled out of his arms and flew toward a nearby branch, and landed to relax as she spoke. 'I've been flying for days and need to rest.'
''Stay here and wait for mother,'' he replied, excitement running through his veins.
Following that, Argos decided to hunt rabbits for dinner. He snatched up the slingshot his mother gave him and headed down the path to the woods just as his first quest appeared in his sight.
[Quest: Hunt 10 Rabbits - Reward: 10 Beast Points]
His eyes glowed as he crouched down, grabbed a handful of stones, and headed through the dense trees. He grew used to being in the Dead Woods as the Varna called them, and grew into a skilled hunter thanks to Morgana running him ragged despite his young age, as she knew there was no other chance.
Sometime later, he was trekking through the trees and came across a herd of Forest Kings who migrated back here for the winter. His eyes lit up as he looked at the giant Mastodons that ate leaves from the branches high up. They were peaceful creatures, and normally, he left them alone, but today, some of the babies rushed in his direction and swarmed him.
Argo started laughing as they greeted him with their trunks, thanks to growing up together. The parents glanced at him only for the battle-scarred Matirarch to let out a bellow as a welcome. He waved at the big female as he finally was able to stand up, just as Athena swooped down, landing on the branch above. 'Looks like you've made friends, master.'
''Yes, I met them when I was five after I escaped the house,'' he revealed, chuckling. ''They're smarter than people think.''
'That they're,' she replied.
He shivered as the cold air swept through the woods, prompting him to continue, looking for rabbits. After looking for an hour, he came across a clearing and was alone, thanks to Athena checking out the Beast Realm. She vanished into the green canopy above to get some food for herself.
Sometime later, Argo spotted three rabbits milling around, eating the grass as their den sat nearby. He readied his sling and started spinning it until a whirring sound was heard, and he released it just like his mother showed him how. The stone sliced through the air and struck one of the beasts in the head just as Athena swooped down, killing the remaining two.
[Experience Gained: 15]
[Beast Points Gained: 3]
His eyes widened, but he decided to keep an eye on it as he rushed over to the bodies, scooping them up as the Grey Owl's soft voice echoed in his mind. 'Do you want me to take them home, master?'
''Yes, please,'' he answered, handing Athena the rabbits.
Following that, he continued through the woods, killing more creatures to complete the quest and have a feast for when his mother got home. By the time he reached the ninth, he couldn't find any more. He was bordering the swamp now, traveling through the treetops thanks to it being a green walkway.
While doing this, Argo spotted dozens of Death Jaws lingering in the dark waters below. He'd seen these monsters when they first arrived, only for him to recognize them as Saltwater Crocodiles, but bigger. The beasts didn't know he was up there, but thanks to his training, he was able to keep out of their jaws.
After this, he reached a secluded part of the swamp where the bigger beasts couldn't get to, but the smaller ones found it a haven. Once his boots hit the ground, he spotted a rabbit mingling at the end of the path. He raised his sling and started spinning before flinging the stone at it.
It smacked the creature in the head, causing a notification to pop up.
[Experience Gained: 5]
[Beast Points: 1]
[Quest Complete: Kill 10 Rabbits]
[Reward: 10 Beast Points]
Argo was happy at the points he earned and was about to pull up his status, but a deep growl echoed from behind him, making his skin crawl.