Morning came, birds chirping, and the trees bustling with life. Kael greeted the day with warm sunlight filtering through the cave entrance.
'What a lovely morning,' he thought.
But as soon as he sat up, Kael froze, shocked by the sight before him.
"What are you doing? You're losing focus! Why can't you keep the momentum going? Are you dumb or something?!" Alden shouted.
Kael blinked. Alden was shouting at someone—it was Remy.
Remy sat in a meditative posture, his tiny form focused on something Kael couldn't quite grasp. But as soon as Alden spoke, Remy snapped back, squeaking furiously.
'Dumb? DUMB? You dare call me dumb?! You're the one who's lousy at teaching! Your instructions are just "do this, do that"—who can understand that?! Are you stupid or something?!'
"Quit yapping and focus on absorbing the energy around you, you dumb rat!" Alden shot back, his voice sharp.
'I'll do that once you shut your mouth, you stupid human!' Remy retorted, his tiny eyes burning with indignation.
Kael stood there, utterly baffled.
'Weren't they adamant on killing each other yesterday? When did they get so close?' he thought, rubbing his eyes as if the scene would change when he opened them again.
Suddenly, a notification rang in Kael's mind.
"Familiar 'Remy' has leveled up to Warrior [Intermediate Rank]."
"What the—" Kael gasped, quickly wheeling himself toward the bickering duo.
As he approached, Remy was engulfed in a golden light that flickered for a moment before vanishing. When it disappeared, Kael saw that Remy had changed—his body slightly larger, claws sharper, and the air around him more refined, more powerful.
"Remy! You've levelled up?" Kael shouted, excitement ringing in his voice.
Remy, hearing his name, ran toward Kael and leaped onto his shoulder, nodding enthusiastically.
'Human, I've levelled up!' Remy squeaked with pride.
Kael and Remy let out a cheer, celebrating the breakthrough. Alden approached them, his expression more relaxed.
"Looks like you managed to pull it off," Alden said with a faint smile.
Remy squeaked, crossing his tiny arms as if he had accomplished it without Alden's help.
'Hmph, of course I did,'
Kael stood there, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened.
"Alden, this... how?"
He hadn't seen Remy absorb any origin crystal. He was confused as to what had caused the sudden level-up?
Alden scratched his head awkwardly.
"I'll explain, but uhh... can we have something to eat first? I'm starving," he admitted, his stomach growling slightly.
Kael blinked.
"Huh?... Ah, sure." He paused.
"Oh no! I forgot to set the traps yesterday!"
"Ah, don't worry about that," Alden said, pointing to the distance where a large boar lay lifeless, covered in deep scratches and bite marks.
"We caught something you see..."
Kael blinked again, surprised.
"Oh, that's great!"
He didn't dwell on it long, quickly getting to work on cooking breakfast. As the smell of roasting meat filled the air, Remy squeaked happily, scurrying around to help Kael with the preparations.
Meanwhile, Alden watched Remy thoughtfully, recalling the events of the previous night.
*****
After Kael had fallen asleep, Alden had observed Remy closely. The little creature had remained alert, watching over Kael, but Alden could see the frustration simmering beneath the surface. Remy's body trembled, not from fear, but from a deep sense of inadequacy.
"You're still thinking about it, aren't you?" Alden had asked softly, breaking the silence.
Remy ignored him, keeping his sharp eyes trained on the darkness beyond the cave.
"You blame yourself for not being strong enough to protect Kael."
Remy stiffened, but still didn't respond.
"I know that feeling," Alden continued, his voice heavy with the weight of his own guilt.
"The helplessness... the frustration of being too weak when it matters the most."
Remy's ears twitched, but he remained silent, as if refusing to acknowledge the truth in Alden's words.
Alden pressed on, his tone gentler now.
"I've failed Kael before. I abandoned him when he needed me, and now... I almost hurt him again."
At that, Remy finally turned his head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Alden.
"I swore to protect him," Alden said quietly.
"But it seems that he already has someone more capable than me to do that"
Remy shifted uncomfortably, not sure whether to trust the sincerity in Alden's words. But there was something genuine in the way Alden spoke—something Remy couldn't ignore.
"I know you're strong," Alden said, acknowledging Remy's growth. "But there's a way to get even stronger."
Remy tilted his head curiously.
'Stronger? How?'
"There's a cultivation method—a way to absorb the energy in the environment around you. It's slower than absorbing origin crystals, but it's constant. Steady. I can teach you that"
Remy was silent for a moment, absorbing Alden's words. Then he squeaked,
'That sounds... useful. But why tell me this?'
Alden chuckled, amused by the fact that he's having a conversation with a rat, and they somehow managed to understand one another.
"I think we're both the same," Alden added with a faint smile.
"We both want to protect him… and we both hate being too weak to do it."
Remy huffed, still hesitant, but something about Alden's offer stirred him. It wasn't just about strength. It was about protecting Kael.
'Fine'
Remy squeaked finally.
'I'll try your method'
*****
Back in the present,
The memory of their conversation lingered in Alden's mind as they sat down to share their meal. The tension between him and Remy had eased, and though there was still some caution between them, they now shared a common goal.
Kael served the food, unaware of the bond that had begun to form between his two companions,
"Let's eat,"
Kael said with a grin, and the three of them sat down to enjoy their scrumptious breakfast.