Chapter 6: The Taming Chaos
Greg's feet barely touched the ground as he ran through the dense forest, his pulse still racing from the near encounter with the serpent. His mind whirred with chaotic thoughts, none of them particularly helpful. Each time he thought he could outrun this mess, another beast appeared, another problem arose, and his life spiraled further out of his control.
As he pushed forward, the griffin chirped from his shoulder, its feathers ruffling in the breeze as it stayed close, still eager despite the chaos that surrounded them. The fox trotted beside him, its tail flicking nervously, casting wary glances behind them. The giant bear lumbered along, slow but steady, its immense form adding weight to the already heavy atmosphere of tension.
Greg had made the mistake of thinking the chase was over. He thought, for one fleeting moment, that maybe—just maybe—he could get some peace. He had gone through so much already. But there was no such thing as peace when your accidental ability to tame beasts was this powerful, and this uncontrollable.
Suddenly, a low growl broke through the air.
Greg froze, his heart skipping a beat. He turned his head slowly, dread crawling up his spine as he spotted a group of travelers emerging from the underbrush. They were armed with spears and swords, eyes narrowed in suspicion as they surveyed Greg and his motley crew of magical creatures.
"What in the world?" one of the men muttered, his gaze fixed on the bear, which was now casually sniffing the ground, oblivious to the incoming danger.
"Look at them," another man said, his voice trembling with a mixture of awe and fear. "He's got a whole army of beasts at his command."
Greg had no idea what to say. His instinct was to turn and run again, but these were hunters, not some passing travelers. They had the advantage of numbers and weapons. They had clearly been tracking him—and worse, they seemed to think he was some kind of beast-tamer they could use.
One of the men, a broad-shouldered hunter with a weathered face, stepped forward. "You're the one they've been talking about, aren't you? The one who tames beasts without even trying. The one with the power."
Greg swallowed, his throat dry. He didn't want to be that person. He didn't want this attention, didn't want to deal with the responsibility of being the guy who could control magical creatures with a thought.
"I don't want any trouble," Greg muttered, trying to back away.
"Too bad," the hunter said with a smirk. "Because we could use someone like you."
Greg's heart dropped. He had a bad feeling about this. He turned to the griffin, who was perched on his shoulder, staring at the hunters with a curious but protective gaze. The fox had already moved to Greg's feet, a low growl bubbling up from its chest. Even the giant bear, which had been lumbering lazily behind him, raised its head, alert to the tension in the air.
"Please," Greg tried again, his voice a little less steady. "I'm not interested. I don't want to tame anything else. I just… I want to get out of here."
The hunter raised an eyebrow. "It's not up to you, friend. You've already got an army following you. You're too valuable to let go now."
Greg felt the weight of his growing predicament sink in. The creatures had begun to gather more and more around him, their presence undeniable, their power palpable. Word was clearly getting out. The whole region had heard about the strange man who could tame any beast with ease, whether he wanted to or not. And now, these hunters—perhaps others—would be drawn to him, hoping to use his power for their own gain.
Before Greg could respond, a voice from the back of the group called out.
"Wait."
Everyone turned to see another man stepping forward, his clothes more refined than the rest of the hunters. He was tall, with sharp features and a calculating expression. His eyes were fixed firmly on Greg.
"This one is different," the man said with a quiet authority. "Let's not rush into anything."
The lead hunter paused, glancing over at the new arrival. "What do you mean?"
The refined man walked closer, his gaze scanning the creatures around Greg, pausing only when his eyes fell on the giant bear. He seemed to appraise it for a moment before speaking again.
"I've heard of men like him," the man said softly, almost to himself. "Men with strange powers, men who can control beasts without lifting a finger. He's more than just a simple beast-tamer. If he's truly the one I think he is, then he could be of great use to us… or great harm. Either way, it's better to keep him alive for now."
Greg frowned, not entirely sure what this man was talking about. But that didn't matter. He was done with this. His earlier relief at having escaped the serpent and its chaos evaporated quickly as he realized his situation had only gotten worse.
"We can't let him go," the lead hunter muttered. "We'll need to report this."
Before Greg could even react, the refined man raised a hand. "No. We won't capture him."
Greg exhaled a shaky breath, half-relieved, half-bewildered. "Then what?"
The refined man turned back to Greg with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "You'll come with us, willingly or not."
Greg's stomach turned, and he knew—he wasn't getting out of this without a fight.
Greg stood frozen, staring at the refined man with an expression that was somewhere between disbelief and panic. His mind was racing as the air around him thickened with tension. He had only wanted to escape—escape from the beasts, from the people who sought to use him, from this nightmare that was his new life.
And now, somehow, he was in a far worse situation.
The group of hunters, sensing the tension, took a few steps closer, their eyes not on Greg but on the creatures surrounding him. The fox was growling softly, its fur bristling in warning. The griffin, perched on his shoulder, fluffed up its feathers aggressively, its sharp beak clicking menacingly. Even the giant bear, usually a calm and lumbering creature, had its eyes narrowed in the direction of the hunters, a low rumble emanating from its chest.
The refined man didn't flinch. His gaze remained fixed on Greg, his lips curling into a thin smile. "I suggest you don't fight it, young man. We know who you are, and we know what you can do. There's no sense in making enemies out of us."
Greg's pulse quickened. He could feel his throat tightening as the weight of the situation settled on him. The last thing he wanted was to be involved in some power struggle or political game, but it was becoming increasingly clear that he had no choice in the matter.
He glanced down at the fox, who had been growing more and more agitated. "Okay, okay, let's just all calm down," Greg muttered to himself, mostly as a way to steady his nerves. "Maybe I can talk my way out of this... somehow."
Before he could come up with anything coherent to say, a movement caught his eye. The griffin, having enough of the situation, let out an angry screech and flapped its wings, sending a gust of wind that whipped through the clearing. The force of the wind sent several of the hunters stumbling back in surprise.
The refined man raised an eyebrow, his smile faltering slightly. "Impressive. You certainly have a way with creatures, don't you?"
"I don't want this," Greg said, his voice hoarse. "I didn't ask for any of this. I just want to be left alone."
"And yet, here you are," the man replied smoothly. "You've already tamed beasts far beyond your control, and they're loyal to you. Whether you want to admit it or not, you're now a part of something much bigger than yourself."
Greg gritted his teeth. He didn't want to be part of anything. He didn't want to be anyone's tool. He just wanted to get away from the beasts, from these people, and have a moment of peace.
But peace seemed impossible in this world.
The bear growled again, low and ominous, and Greg quickly turned his attention back to it. His heart skipped a beat when he realized the beast was no longer calm, but rather agitated. The bear's powerful limbs twitched, and its eyes flicked between the hunters, as if deciding whether to attack.
"Calm down," Greg whispered, but his voice was too shaky to be effective.
The refined man tilted his head, watching Greg closely. "You're not in control of them as much as you think, are you?"
That was it. Greg's chest tightened. The man's words rang with a deeper meaning than he was willing to admit. His beasts—his accidental companions—were unpredictable. He didn't know how much he could control them, and that scared him.
Before Greg could react, the hunter from earlier, the broad-shouldered one with the rough face, stepped forward again. "We don't need to play games with him," the man grumbled, a wicked gleam in his eyes. "Let's take him now. We'll use his talents for our own good."
The refined man's smile vanished, replaced with an almost imperceptible scowl. "No," he said firmly, and the tone of his voice left no room for argument. He then turned back to Greg, his gaze piercing. "You have potential. Power that we can use. I'll offer you a choice, but you'd better think carefully. Come with us voluntarily, and we'll protect you. We'll train you, teach you how to control this ability of yours, help you realize your full potential."
Greg blinked, stunned by the offer. He had no idea what the man was really implying, but the words "train you" didn't sit well with him. He was terrified of being controlled again, of becoming a tool for someone else's gain.
But the refined man wasn't finished. "Or, you can continue running. You can keep avoiding your responsibility. But you and your beasts will never be free. Every time you think you're safe, we—or someone else—will come for you."
Greg's mind raced. He wasn't an idiot. He could see what was at stake. He could run again, sure. But what would that get him? More beasts. More hunters. More chaos.
The choice felt hollow, but he had to choose.
"Why should I trust you?" Greg's voice cracked, his mind spinning as he tried to make sense of this impossible situation.
The refined man smiled again, and this time, it was sincere. "Because, Greg," he said softly, "I can promise you one thing—you'll never be alone. You'll always have your beasts, your companions, your army."
Greg closed his eyes for a moment, fighting the panic rising in his chest. Every inch of his being screamed at him to run, to get away from all of it. But what choice did he really have? He couldn't even control the beasts that had flocked to him, and now he was caught in the middle of something bigger than he could have ever imagined.
With a deep, shaky breath, Greg made his decision.
"Fine," he muttered. "I'll go with you. But I'm not some weapon for you to wield."
The refined man's smile widened, his eyes gleaming with satisfaction. "Good. I think you'll come to understand that we're offering you more than just training. We're offering you freedom. The freedom to control your own power."
Greg didn't know if he believed that, but it was the best option he had.
As the hunters closed in, ready to escort Greg to their unknown destination, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning of a much larger, more dangerous adventure.
And in the back of his mind, one question burned: What kind of beast-tamer was he becoming?