"Here's over here!" Arin jogged ahead, pointing towards the middle of the ashen forest. Tessa gasped as she looked around.
"What could do such a thing?" Tessa asked.
"Be careful, it might be a trap." Rolan whispered to Tessa. She brushed his warning aside and jogged over to Arin and Nocturnis. Nocturnis slowly lifted his head up, acknowledging his Master had returned before slumping back onto the ground.
"Are you okay? It took us awhile because I can't take them with me." Arin asked Nocturnis.
"There's no signs of the Beast anymore." Nocturnis replied. "I've been conserving my energy and keeping the shadows close."
"Tessa's here to heal you." Arin motioned. Tessa dropped to her knees and studied the injured Beast. He had burn marks and cauterized wounds.
"What sort of creature did this to Nocturnis?" Tessa asked. She pulled a red vial out. It was similar to the one she had given Arin. She uncorked it and lifted it just above Nocturnis's body. "I'm going to treat the burns first and then we'll give him a healing potion. Hold him down."
Arin followed instructions and held onto Nocturnis.
"This might hurt a bit." Tessa warned before spilling the anti-burn potion onto Nocturnis. Nocturnis roared, almost throwing Arin off him. Arin tried with all his might to hold onto Nocturnis, shushing him as the unbearable pain seemed to seem into him.
He closed his eyes shut and hummed a song his Mother used to sing to him when he was injured. "It'll be okay, Noct. Just a little longer, okay?" The burns slowly started to fade away and Tessa quickly slipped the empty vial in its place and pulled out a green potion.
"Now the healing potion." Tessa uncorked it and poured some into her hand. She moved over to Nocturnis's mouth and motioned for him to drink it. "Drink it, Noct. It's safe."
"C'mon, Noct." Arin slowly pulled away from the large cat. Nocturnis raised his head and lapped the potion. Slowly, but surely, Nocturnis' wounds slowly faded as Tessa administered the entire potion by hand to the Shadow Panther.
Once the Shadow Panther was in a healthier state, Arin let out a sigh of relief. He had never thought Nocturnis would get beaten by the Ash creature.
"Noct, are you sure that creature is the one that…" Arin's words trailed off.
"I'm sure about it." Nocturnis replied. He turned and looked at Tessa. "That odd creature is the reason why you were acting strange."
"What about that creature?" Tessa asked. "Is the one who did this to Noct the same one that made you…"
Arin nodded his head and stood up. "Do you think we can track it? We still have some sunlight, we might as well try out best and find it while we have a cha—"
"You're going to hunt for something you don't even know about?" Rolan raised an eyebrow as he came closer. Arin turned and looked at Rolan, who shook his head in disapproval. "You're mental state would shatter in an instant with what happened yesterday. Today should be a confirmation that the Beast or creature or whatever you're hunting isn't to be messed with."
"Then I guess we should not cross paths often, then." Arin replied, coldly. He tried his best to keep his composure but something about Rolan ticked him off. He looked at Nocturnis and motioned to leave. "Thank you for your help Miss Tessa. Without your help, Nocturnis would've died from his burns and wounds. If there's anything I can do to repay, please let me know. I'll be around the area for the time being."
"You're leaving without paying?" Rolan smirked.
"Rolan, that's enough." Tessa stood up and stuck her arm out. "You don't need to be such a pain in the ass right now."
"What? This kid wants to play Beastlord then go right ahead. Pay for her services. Three gold coins will do." He stuck up three fingers and his smile grew.
Arin gritted his teeth, tightening his grip on his spear. "I don't have that kind of money right now."
"Then it seems like we should turn your Beast back the way he was!" Rolan quickly plucked an arrow and drew the bowstring and pointed it towards Nocturnis. Nocturnis growled while Tessa panickily turned and blocked Rolan with herself. "Get away from them! They tried to hurt you! It's only fair I ask for three gold! It's a mercy compared to what I could do to them!"
"Adults are so annoying." Arin sighed.
"What did you say to me, kid?"
"That's enough, Rolan! He doesn't need to pay for anything! We owe him for all that Great-Elk meat! He's more than paid his price!" Tessa shouted. She looked over her shoulder and awkwardly smiled. "Just leave. I'll deal with him."
Arin pulled the pack off him and threw it to the side. He pointed his spear at Rolan. "Fine, if you want to fight then let's fight! I won't go easy on you this time."
"Easy? I was going easy on you! Bring it on! Move aside right now, Tessa!" Rolan shouted, motioning with his bow. Tessa gulped and stepped away. "You'll pay with your life then!"
Rolan fired the arrow and immediately moved backwards. Arin swatted the arrow aside, watching as two more flew at him. He deflected the arrows and rushed forward.
"Noct!" Arin shouted. Nocturnis roared rushing into combat with his Master. He moved ahead first, catching Rolan's attention.
"Two against one? You would resort to that?!?" Rolan shouted. Mana filled the arrow as he released it. "Piercing Arrow!" The arrow soared straight for Nocturnis, who jumped to the side. The ground erupted in dirt and chunks, temporarily blinding Shadow Panther. "You're the worst kind of human! This is a fight between us! I didn't ask for a Beastlord to fight me!"
"You never specified, old man!" Arin shouted as the spear flew threw the smoke.
Rolan dodged to the side. "You think that's going to do anything?!?" Something from the right of him appeared out of nowhere. He turned and watched as Arin was already coming at him.
"Dragon Fang." Arin's spear lit up, flashing energy as shadow energy mixed with it. Rolan spun out of the way, feeling cuts fly across his cheek, neck and shoulder in an instant. He jumped away, cautious of the precise Drakhar in front of him.
'Did he miss there?' Rolan thought to himself. 'There's no way he could've missed. He threw me off guard with that new technique I haven't seen before. Is it something I don't know about? Was he not showing me all of his cards before? Well, it doesn't matter. I should keep the distance and he won't be able to get to me.'
"You forgot this was two against one!" Arin shouted as Nocturnis appeared behind Rolan. Nocturnis sunk his teeth into Rolan's shoulder while Rolan roared in pain, tossing the large Shadow Panther away. Nocturnis shrunk into the shadows, disappearing from Rolan's sight.
'Right, this isn't a one on one battle. I'm fighting against a Beastlord. Just because he's a novice doesn't mean his Beast isn't. That's a Shadow Panther! It'll use the shadows of the forest line. I need to move farther away from the shadows!' Rolan dashed towards the center of the ashen forest field.
He turned and notched three arrows. "Triple Shot!" Three arrows sailed straight for Arin, who disappeared right in front of Rolan. The arrows went wide. He turned watching as Arin's spear blunt-end slammed into his face.
Arin pulled away, twirling the spear and piercing the bladed side straight for Rolan's heart. Before anyone could register what was going on, Arin stopped. Tessa let out a scream and for once Rolan released a nervous bead of sweat down his neck.
"Noct, let's go." Arin sighed, pulling the spear away from Rolan. He turned and started back the way they had come. "I'll pay you three gold when I can plus a little extra since it won't be right away. I got other things to worry about than dealing with your ego, Mr. Rolan." He turned to Tessa and bowed. "Thank you, again, for treating Noct. I owe you my life for it."
"Y-yeah, anytime. No rush with the gold." Tessa replied in disbelief. She watched Arin and Noct disappear and a sigh of relief escaped Rolan's lips. He dropped to the ground, shaking. Tessa noticed and quickly joined his side.
"Not even a few days went by and that kid managed to overpower me." Rolan's voice shook but his face was plastered with a large smile. "I wonder what secret techniques he's hiding. Too bad I was holding back there."
"Are you sure we should be tricking him like this? It seems like he really believes he tried to hurt us and hurt you."
"Don't worry about it. If we must direct him on the Path of the Beast, hunting for the one that did this is the least we can do." Rolan brushed his nose with a large grin.
"Rolan… Beastlord's use magic, right?" Tessa asked. Rolan stood up and nodded.
"Yeah, they use magic."
"Then why didn't I feel an ounce of mana with that teleportation spell?"
"You noticed that, too?" Rolan chuckled. "The kid isn't using magic. It's an innate ability from Nocturnis."
"It's an innate ability?"
"The kids been through a lot in the last couple of days. I'm not surprised he gained a new ability so quick. I can't wait to see him again when he comes to pay his debt."
"Why did you tell him he had to pay three gold?!?" Tessa slapped Rolan. Rolan yelped in pain, turning to the Alchemist. "He's done us a great service in giving us the Great-Elk and even helping us scour for herbs in the mines! Healing Noct was the least I could've done."
"Don't worry about it, Tess." Rolan ruffled the Alchemist's hair. She swatted it away and puffed her cheeks. He looked towards the forest line and kept his smile. "I want to see that kid again when he's much stronger. Whatever they're searching for now, I think we'll see in the future. C'mon, let's go back. I think he might've broken a tooth."