The sun was well above the horizon by the time Ryn and the Spirit Fox slowed their pace, their breathing still heavy from the frantic escape. Ryn glanced over his shoulder, half-expecting the hulking figure of the Calamity Beast to appear at any moment, but the plains behind them remained empty.
The Spirit Fox padded beside him, its ears twitching at every sound. Its glow had dimmed slightly, as though it was conserving its energy after the encounter.
"Alright," Ryn muttered, crouching to catch his breath. "That thing… whatever it was, didn't follow us. That's something, at least."
The fox chirped softly, its eyes scanning the horizon as if it didn't quite believe him.
Ryn straightened, tugging at the strap of his pack. They needed to keep moving. The Wildlands weren't the kind of place that let its inhabitants rest for long, and every delay brought more risks.
"We need food, shelter, and a plan," Ryn said aloud, ticking the points off on his fingers. "In that order."
The fox tilted its head, chirping again.
Ryn sighed. "Yeah, I know I've said that before. Doesn't make it less true."
They moved on, skirting the edge of a rocky hill that rose sharply above the plains. The landscape had begun to change, the open grass giving way to clusters of boulders and jagged outcrops. It felt more enclosed here, with fewer places to run if something went wrong.
As they rounded a bend, Ryn froze.
Ahead of them, perched on a flat rock, was a figure. A person.
The stranger was wrapped in a long, tattered cloak, the hood pulled low to obscure their face. Beside them lay a large beast—a hulking, bear-like creature with dark fur and a set of viciously curved claws. Its eyes were closed, its breathing slow and steady as it rested in the shade.
The Spirit Fox growled softly, its tail bristling.
"Easy," Ryn whispered, placing a hand on the fox's head. "Let's not do anything rash."
The figure shifted slightly, their hooded head tilting in Ryn's direction. "You're not very good at sneaking, are you?" they called, their voice low and rough.
Ryn tensed, his hand instinctively going to the knife at his belt. "Didn't realize I needed to," he said carefully.
The stranger chuckled, the sound dry and humorless. "Relax, kid. If I wanted trouble, you'd know it already."
The bear-like beast stirred beside them, letting out a deep rumble as it shifted its massive paws.
The Spirit Fox growled again, stepping forward to place itself between Ryn and the stranger.
"Interesting partner you've got there," the stranger said, nodding toward the fox. "Not something you see every day."
Ryn narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"
The stranger stood slowly, their movements deliberate and unthreatening. They pulled back their hood, revealing a sharp-featured face framed by messy black hair streaked with silver. Their eyes, piercing and golden, seemed to gleam in the light.
"Name's Kael," they said, crossing their arms. "And you?"
Ryn hesitated. "Ryn."
"Ryn," Kael repeated, rolling the name over as if testing its weight. "Let me guess—new to the Wildlands? Haven't seen you around before."
Ryn didn't answer, his gaze flicking between Kael and the bear-like beast.
Kael smirked. "Don't worry about Brask," they said, gesturing to the massive creature. "He's not hungry. Yet."
Brask rumbled again, shifting to curl up more comfortably in the shade.
"What do you want?" Ryn asked, his tone sharp.
Kael shrugged. "Just curious. Not every day you see someone wandering out here with a Spirit Fox."
Ryn frowned. "You know what it is?"
"Of course I do," Kael said, crouching to inspect the fox from a distance. "Rare little things. Not much use in a fight, though. Unless…" They trailed off, their golden eyes narrowing.
"Unless what?"
Kael grinned, straightening. "Unless it's bonded in a way the Codex doesn't recognize."
Ryn's blood ran cold. "What do you mean by that?"
"Relax, kid. I'm not with the Guild," Kael said, waving a hand dismissively. "Let's just say I've seen things. Things that don't exactly fit into the neat little rules the tamers like to follow."
Ryn said nothing, his mind racing.
Kael tilted their head, studying him. "Let me guess. You bonded with it, and the Codex gave you an error. Happens sometimes, with rare or unstable bonds. Means there's potential there—if you know how to use it."
Ryn stiffened. "What do you know about that?"
Kael chuckled. "More than you, apparently. Tell you what—I'll give you some advice. Free of charge."
Ryn frowned, his instincts screaming at him to be cautious. But he nodded slowly, curiosity getting the better of him.
"Out here," Kael said, gesturing to the Wildlands, "the Codex doesn't mean much. It's old, outdated. The Wildlands don't follow its rules, and neither do the beasts. If you're going to survive, you'll need to stop relying on what the system tells you and start trusting your instincts."
"Easy for you to say," Ryn muttered.
Kael smirked. "Oh, and one more thing. If you're heading west—"
"I'm not," Ryn interrupted.
Kael raised an eyebrow. "You should be. There's a ruin about a day's walk from here. Lots of tamers avoid it—something about bad luck and missing people—but it's a good place to find materials. And answers."
Ryn's jaw tightened. "Why are you telling me this?"
Kael shrugged. "Call it a hunch. You're an interesting one, Ryn. I'd hate to see you die out here before you figure out what that little fox of yours is really capable of."
With that, Kael turned and whistled sharply. Brask rose to his feet, shaking his massive body before lumbering after Kael as they walked away.
Ryn watched them go, his grip on his knife tightening.
The Spirit Fox chirped softly, pressing against his leg.
"Yeah," Ryn muttered, staring after Kael. "I don't trust him either."
But the mention of the ruin lingered in his mind.