Deli leaned against a tree, his arms crossed, watching his water beast, Infero, practice its moves. The majestic creature's scales glistened as it launched precise strikes of water energy at a set of boulders. Nearby, Valen, or "Val" as Deli had affectionately begun calling him, observed Blaze soaring through the air, its fiery form leaving trails of heat and ash behind.
Deli broke the silence with a grin. "I'm going to call you Val. Short, sweet, and fitting for someone who's always charging into trouble."
Val smirked. "Fine by me, Deli. But now that we've got your pet, it's time to focus on training both of them. We've got a mission, remember?"
The system had chimed earlier, its monotone voice echoing in Valen's mind.
Objective: Train Blaze and Infero to Level 15 to unlock new abilities.
Reward: Advanced Beast Techniques for both companions.
"Can't say no to that," Val said, recalling the system's prompt.
Blaze looped through the air, practicing its flight maneuvers with increasing precision, while Infero sharpened its Water Strike—a concentrated blast of water capable of slicing through solid rock. Deli watched, his healer instincts kicking in as he occasionally stepped forward to soothe minor scrapes and bruises their training left behind.
Then Deli had a thought. "Val, what if we combined their abilities? Like, fire and water together?"
Val raised an eyebrow. "You think that would work? Mixing elements isn't exactly easy."
Deli nodded confidently. "Fire and water create steam, but if we can combine their raw energies… we might create something stronger, like lightning."
Val's eyes lit up with excitement. "Alright, let's try it. Blaze, get ready to use Fire Blast! Infero, prep Water Strike! On my count—three, two, one!"
Blaze unleashed a fiery burst while Infero launched a sharp stream of water. The two attacks collided mid-air, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, a crackling surge of electricity formed where the two energies met, creating a Lightning Blast. The surge tore through the forest, striking a nearby tree and splitting it in half.
The sound of dragon roars echoed through the forest, shaking the ground beneath them.
"Uh, Val…" Deli whispered nervously. "What was that?"
From the shadows of the forest, a massive dragon emerged, its scales shimmering with green and gold. It roared again, the sound reverberating through their bones. Behind it, a cluster of eggs nestled in a grove.
"We almost hit her eggs," Val realized. "Run!"
The dragon took off after them, its wings whipping up gusts of wind that bent the trees. Val and Deli sprinted as fast as they could, their companions close behind. Up ahead, a dark opening loomed in the side of a mountain.
"Stormspire Peak!" Val shouted. "Head for the cave!"
They dove inside just as the dragon's claws scraped against the entrance. For ten tense minutes, they hid in the shadows, holding their breath as the dragon prowled outside. Eventually, the creature let out a final growl and took off, leaving them in silence.
"That was too close," Deli panted, leaning against the cave wall.
Before they could catch their breath, a rustling sound came from the bushes outside the cave. Val summoned Blaze instinctively, and Deli prepared Infero for a fight. From the shadows emerged a small goblin-like creature, its skin pale green and its eyes glowing faintly. A system notification appeared in Val's mind.
Val smirked. "Level 25? Let's see how he likes a fire strike! Blaze, go!"
Blaze charged forward, its claws igniting as it used Fire Strike, slamming into Skel and knocking his health down to 23,895. The goblin snarled, retaliating with a wave of green energy that seemed to heal its wounds.
Deli narrowed his eyes. "Infero, you're up! Awaken!"
As the words left his mouth, Infero glowed with a blinding light. Its form shifted, growing larger and more imposing. When the light faded, Infero had evolved into Peak, a water-and-ice beast with frost-tipped scales and an aura of icy power. The system chimed again.
New Ability: Ice Bleed – Causes frost damage over time and freezes enemies.
"Peak, use Ice Bleed!" Deli commanded.
Peak lunged forward, its claws glowing with icy energy. It struck Skel, freezing the goblin in place and dealing massive damage. The enemy's health bar plummeted to zero in an instant. With a triumphant roar, Peak stood over the defeated goblin.
Deli pulled out a capture crystal, tossing it at Skel. The goblin was engulfed in light before vanishing into the crystal. Deli grinned, holding up his new companion. "Got him!"
With their fight over, the duo decided to head to the nearby village of Storm Peak. They found an inn where they could rest, enjoying a hearty meal before collapsing into their beds. Outside, Peak practiced its flying skills under the moonlight, while Blaze rested beside Val.
The next morning, Val woke with determination. "We need five pets each before we're ready to take on the Guildmaster's quest in Elderglen."
Deli nodded. "Agreed. But that means we need to get to work."
Val decided to head into the forest alone that night, hoping to find a new ally. As he wandered through the moonlit woods, a massive silhouette caught his eye. It was a dragon, its scales shimmering with iridescent hues. The system identified it as Aetherdrake, a rare poison-type dragon.
"This one's mine," Val whispered. "Evoke Blaze!"
Blaze appeared in a burst of flames, ready for battle. "Use Sword Dance to boost your attack and speed!"
The Aetherdrake responded with Poison Breath, a toxic cloud that spread through the air. Blaze dodged skillfully, countering with a fiery strike that landed squarely on the dragon's chest. The impact was enough to knock it out.
Val pulled out a capture crystal, securing Aetherdrake as his second companion. "Welcome to the team," he said with a grin.
The next day, Val and Deli decided to test their strength with a 2v2 battle. Val summoned Blaze and Aetherdrake, while Deli called on Peak and Skel.
"Let's see what you've got," Deli said with a competitive smirk. "Three, two, one—go!"
Blaze and Peak clashed in the air, their attacks lighting up the battlefield. Meanwhile, Aetherdrake and Skel faced off on the ground, each using their unique abilities to outmaneuver the other. The fight was intense, with each side landing powerful blows. In the end, Skel's healing abilities gave Deli's team the edge, but the match left both sides with a newfound respect for their growing strength.
As they shook hands, Val grinned. "Good game, Deli. But next time, I'm taking the win."
"Bring it on," Deli replied with a laugh.
Their bond strengthened, the two friends set their sights on Elderglen, ready for whatever challenges awaited them.