In a world ruled by the mighty and mysterious, there was a kingdom that depended on a rare and dangerous practice: taming. This ancient tradition was a rite of passage, where each person had to find a beast—a creature born from the shadows of human desires and fears—and form a bond with it. Only the tamers who succeeded in understanding and mastering their creatures were accepted as members of society, living with the creatures as powerful allies. But those who failed? They were either devoured by their beasts or left in isolation, abandoned as unfit and powerless.
Felix had always been the target of quiet disdain in his village. From a young age, he had been kind-hearted and eager to help, but his gentleness was mistaken for weakness, his kindness for naivety. The villagers saw him as someone who would never amount to much, someone who would falter in their world that worshipped strength and power. They openly doubted his abilities and excluded him from tasks that required "real strength," laughing at the notion that he could one day become a powerful tamer. To them, he was invisible, useful only when they needed an errand run or a burden carried.
He bore their harsh words silently, a gentle smile masking the pain that simmered beneath. Every day, he helped people who sneered at him, offered kindness to those who would never do the same for him, and swallowed his own pain to keep from showing how deeply he hurt. He was used to being overlooked, used to being someone others took advantage of. Yet, he continued to serve his community, telling himself that kindness was its own reward, even if no one saw its worth.