Night wrapped the village in a cloak of shattered stars as Rayan crept into Mark's stable like a wounded shadow. The frail horse kicked weakly as he approached, but the boy's hand trembled as he touched its forehead:
"Use Growth Skill."
*\[Ding! 9 attempts remaining.]*
The horse's scream caught in its throat as its cracked skin swelled like a balloon filled with divine breath. Bones cracked and healed, its faded black mane shifting into a glowing turquoise, like enchanted sea waves. When the transformation settled, the horse stood twice as tall as Rayan's house, its eyes burning with golden sparks.
The system chimed, almost smiling:
*\["Albert – Turquoise-Mane Horse" added to Pet Inventory. Elite breed capable of sensing hidden locations.]*
Rayan whispered into the horse's ear:
"We'll need a stable of illusions... but tonight, we sleep beneath the trees."
Just before dawn, he returned home to find a black dove waiting on his doorstep. The message was written in blood-drenched script:
*"Now\... seek the embryo that sleeps within the hollow horse.
– Z"*
The letter crumbled into ash in his fingers, just as he heard Mark's heavy footsteps outside his window. Albert raised his head suddenly, eyes glowing toward the forest like a beacon. Rayan smiled for the first time in years:
"I think you'll be a better friend than any human."