"Larcus, you're not going to laze about all morning, are you?" his mother called from the kitchen, her voice carrying through the small house.
"I'm up," he muttered, though he was still sitting cross-legged on the straw mattress in his room. His fingers idly traced the smooth edges of the wristband on his left arm, the red gem at its center glinting faintly in the dim light. He'd had it for as long as he could remember. His father had left it to him before he vanished.
No note. No explanation. Just a cryptic smile and, "You'll understand when the time comes."
The time hadn't come yet, and Larcus doubted it ever would.
"Larcus!"
"Alright, I'm going!" He sighed and pulled on his boots before slinging his gathering satchel over his shoulder. As he stepped outside, the sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden hue over the village.
The Harmal Forest was alive with sound. Birds chirped from the canopy, while the occasional rustle in the underbrush hinted at small monsters scurrying about. Most were harmless, content to ignore humans so long as they were left alone. Still, Larcus kept a wary eye out for anything too curious.
"Mooncap mushrooms, mooncap mushrooms," he muttered to himself, scanning the forest floor for the distinctive silver caps his mother needed for her healing salves. "Should've just let me sleep in."
He rounded a thick oak tree and spotted a patch of the mushrooms near the base of a fallen log. Grinning, he crouched down and started plucking them carefully, placing each one into his satchel.
Then, a noise.
A faint clicking sound, almost like the chittering of insects, but deeper. It came from behind the log.
Larcus froze. His heart thudded in his chest as he slowly peered over the log. At first, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him. There, gnawing at the bark, was a creature unlike anything he'd ever seen.
It was about the size of a wolf, standing on two wiry legs with a snake-like tail that flicked lazily behind it. Its body shimmered with green and purple scales that seemed to ripple like water in the sunlight. Its head was angular, with six glowing yellow eyes stacked in two vertical rows. The claws on its hands were long and hooked, perfect for climbing—or slashing.
Hitrecrov.
The name came unbidden to Larcus's mind, as if whispered by some unseen force. He didn't know how he knew it, but he was certain that was what the creature was called.
The Hitrecrov's eyes snapped toward him. Larcus's breath caught as it let out a sharp, clicking screech and crouched, ready to pounce.
"Nope! Nope! Nope!" Larcus scrambled backward, tripping over his own feet. His heart raced as the monster lunged toward him.
Then, the wristband on his arm flared to life.
A pulse of red light shot out from the gem, striking the Hitrecrov in midair. The monster froze, its body suspended for a moment in the crimson glow. Larcus's mind was suddenly filled with a rush of images and emotions—hunger, curiosity, wariness—all emanating from the creature.
"Scout successful," a voice echoed in his mind.
The light faded, and the Hitrecrov landed lightly on its feet. It tilted its head, studying Larcus with its many eyes, but it no longer looked aggressive. Instead, it approached slowly, almost cautiously, and lowered itself to the ground in front of him.
"What... just happened?" Larcus whispered, staring at the creature.
The Hitrecrov chirped softly, a sound almost like a purr, and nudged its head against his arm. He flinched but didn't pull away. Tentatively, he reached out and touched the smooth scales of its head. They were warm, almost comforting.
"Did I... tame you?"
The creature's tail flicked, and it let out a pleased trill. Larcus's mind reeled. Tamers were rare, and they trained for years to learn how to bond with monsters. He'd done it by accident. How?
His eyes drifted to the wristband. The gem, which had always been dull, now pulsed faintly with light. Whatever had happened, it was tied to this.
"Okay," he said, taking a deep breath. "Let's just... get back to the village and figure this out."
The Hitrecrov chirped again and fell into step beside him as he made his way back through the forest. Larcus couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of something far bigger than he could imagine.