Chapter 8: The First Serious Confrontation
The air was thick with tension. Riven found himself deep in the forest, the sound of the wind whispering through the leaves, but the atmosphere felt different. Something was wrong. The calm that surrounded him was nothing but an illusion, and he knew it. The trail of the beast he had been following had led him to a clearing, where he now stood before a group of figures, all with the same determination in their eyes. Beastmasters, like him, but with a purpose he couldn't fully comprehend.
*"What are they doing here?"* Riven wondered as he observed the three men standing before him. Each one had a similar appearance and attitude: dark clothing, worn leather boots, and an authoritative presence that seemed to radiate from the very ground beneath them.
— *"So, you've finally arrived?"* — one of the men spoke in a deep voice, as if he already knew Riven was there before he even moved. It was clear they weren't here by chance.
Riven frowned, adjusting his stance and observing more carefully. These men weren't just beastmasters; they were a threat. There was something in their eyes, in the way they moved, that made it clear they didn't just want to control the beasts; they wanted to dominate them completely, regardless of the consequences.
— *"Who are you?"* — Riven asked, his voice firm, not showing the fear that was starting to settle in his chest. He knew this wasn't just a casual encounter. It was a test.
One of the men, short-haired with piercing eyes, took a step forward.
— *"We are the Guardians of the Bond."* — his voice was cold and authoritative. — *"And we're here to make sure that beast doesn't end up in the wrong hands. It doesn't matter if you have potential, kid, if you don't know how to handle it. That dragon is not for someone like you."*
Riven didn't respond immediately, but an uncomfortable sensation ran down his spine. *"Dragon?"* There was nothing to indicate that the beast he had faced was a dragon, but the way that man mentioned it made him feel as though he were standing before something far greater than himself. Still, he couldn't let doubt paralyze him.
Thalion, his master, had taught him one thing: beastmasters couldn't just control the power of creatures; they had to connect with them, understand them, without using brute force. The key was control, not submission. However, in his mind, something was beginning to click. Perhaps these men didn't share that philosophy.
— *"The beast is not to be controlled by force, nor used as a mere weapon."* — Riven said, keeping his calm, although inside, he felt the weight of the tension. — *"The connection with it is what truly matters. And I won't let anyone use it for selfish purposes."*
The Guardians of the Bond exchanged glances, giving each other condescending smiles.
— *"It seems you don't know who you're talking to."* — the short-haired man spoke, his words dripping with disdain. — *"We're here to teach you how it's done. If you don't step aside, it won't be as easy as you think."*
The atmosphere grew even tenser, and Riven felt the connection with Vorgar, the beast he had been following, growing stronger. He could sense its presence, though it was a bit farther away, at the edge of the clearing. In that moment, he knew he had to make a decision. He could leave, avoid the conflict, and look for another way to train, but something inside him, a spark of defiance, pushed him to stay. If he wanted to prove that his way of bonding with the beast was more powerful than any technique or physical domination, he had to face this challenge.
Suddenly, the three men lunged at him with quick and calculated movements. Each one had some kind of whip or rope designed to subdue the beast, but Riven knew it wasn't just his body he had to defend. It was his mind, his connection with Vorgar. Every strike they threw at him wasn't just physical; it was a test of his ability to maintain control, to not fall into desperation.
Riven moved swiftly, dodging the first attacks with surprising ease. He didn't just rely on his physical training but also on the power of his bond with the beast. His breath slowed, and just as Thalion had taught him, he focused inward, on the energy flowing through his chest. The connection with Vorgar was stronger now than ever. He could feel every beat of the dragon's heart in his own, its presence nearby, as if waiting for the right moment to intervene.
The short-haired man launched another attack, this time a net designed to capture a beast. But Riven had already learned to anticipate. With a quick movement, he deflected the net with his sword, slicing it through the air, and counterattacked with a series of quick and precise strikes, forcing his opponent to retreat.
— *"Don't underestimate the bond I have with it."* — Riven said, his voice grave, as he faced the next attacker.
The second man, taller and with a severe face, seemed to take a different approach. Instead of attacking him directly, he began emitting a low sound, almost imperceptible, as if trying to communicate with an invisible creature. Riven, with his bond now strengthened, could feel a pressure in the air, as if something were trying to attack him from the darkness of the forest.
But he didn't need to see the threat to react. With a swift turn of his sword, he channeled the energy inside him and directed it towards the attack, creating a wave of energy that dispersed the impending danger. The man with the net fell to the ground, defeated, but the third man, a bulky figure with a calculating gaze, was already advancing towards him.
Riven felt the tension rise. This last opponent was unlike the others. He was more experienced, more astute, and his way of moving seemed designed to subdue any resistance.
— *"Do you really think you can control this beast just with a bond?"* — the man asked, a mocking smile on his face. — *"You don't have what it takes. The bond you're trying to form is weak, unstable. You can't control it."*
But those words only served to strengthen Riven's resolve. He knew this confrontation wasn't just about winning; it was about proving that the path of connection was more powerful than any brutal control technique. With a shout, he charged at his opponent, leaping with unexpected speed, and using all the power of his bond with Vorgar. In that instant, the beast responded.
A surge of power flooded Riven's body, giving him strength and agility, but not throwing him into chaos. This time, his bond with Vorgar wasn't just an extension of his will; it was a perfect synchronization, a pure connection that united them beyond the physical.
Riven struck with precision, and the bulky man, despite his attempts to block, couldn't prevent Riven's sword from knocking him down. The battle was over. The three Guardians of the Bond lay on the ground, defeated.
Riven breathed heavily, his body exhausted, but his mind clear. He had won, but something inside him couldn't relax. *"Now what?"* he thought. The challenge had been great, but it was only the beginning. Even though he had proven his worth, he knew this was just one more confrontation in a long road full of obstacles.
— *"This is just the beginning,"* — he thought as he looked at the horizon. — *"The real challenges are yet to come."*
End of Chapter 8.