Arden didn't hesitate.
The moment he saw the beast standing between the dead parent and the cub, he launched himself forward, every nerve in his body bracing for the worst.
His breath steadied not from confidence, but instinct.
Something about the creature screamed danger, and yet his feet refused to stop.
The beast snarled, turning slowly with glowing orange eyes.
Chime-
Magical Beast: Cinderfang Ravager
Rank: Peak E Rank.
Affinity: Flame + Burst Impact
Arden skidded to a stop, his feet digging into the rocky floor as the beast pounced first, mouth wide and claws raised.
He barely managed to sidestep the swipe, his body moving before he even thought.
Ignition Reflex Activated.
Dodge Initiated.
"Hell," he muttered, rolling to his feet. "That would've taken my face off."
The Ravager landed, its paws cracking the ground beneath it, flames igniting around its limbs in short bursts as it leapt again.
Arden moved again just in time, ducking under the arc of the swipe as fire trailed behind it.
The fight wasn't smooth. Every time he tried to get close, the beast would burst forward or knock him back with a shockwave from its limbs.
The heat scorched his arms even from near misses, and his breathing got rough quick.
But Arden had started to notice something.
The longer he fought, the more he could feel the flow of life energy in his limbs.
His strength wasn't just raw, it was sustaining him.
His cuts stopped bleeding faster. His muscles burned but didn't tear.
And he could read the Ravager's movements clearer now, as if its next attack echoed faintly through its intent before it even struck.
"That's right," he whispered, narrowing his eyes. "You're angry, but you're not thinking straight anymore."
The Ravager charged again. Arden stepped aside, just half a second early, and jabbed his elbow into the side of its jaw, knocking its balance off for the first time.
He followed up with a kick, and the creature slid back with a snarl, teeth bared.
But Arden was already breathing heavy. His arms ached, and his legs felt heavier with each dodge.
Even with life energy, he wasn't made for long battles, at least not yet.
Still, he could see the beast's movements slowing too. It's paw dragged slightly. The bursts of fire came late. They were both worn down.
"Time to end it."
The Ravager lunged again, one final, desperate strike.
Arden ducked under the claw, pushed off the wall behind him, and slammed his foot into the side of the creature's neck.
It stumbled.
And that was all he needed.
With everything he had left, he drove his fist into its chest, right where the flames pulsed the brightest.
A loud crack echoed through the cave, and the beast collapsed.
Cinderfang Ravager Defeated.
Life Energy Absorbed.
New Life Signature Gained: Ember Pulse Core
Description: Generates a pulse of heat around the body, briefly disrupting incoming attacks and staggering nearby enemies.
Arden stumbled back and dropped to a knee, his chest rising and falling like a drum. His body trembled, not from fear, but from the intense rush spreading through him.
The energy surged again, this time wilder than before. The signature was different from the Lynx's.
It was hotter, heavier, more volatile.
His head pounded and he clutched it, groaning through clenched teeth as the feeling burned into him.
Then, slowly, it eased.
His breathing steadied.
A faint rustle pulled his attention forward.
The cub was still there, watching him. Its small body lowered as if ready to flee, but its eyes didn't hold fear, just a strange pity, like it could feel the storm of energy inside him. It tilted its head, unsure.
Arden forced a smile and gave it a small nod.
"I'm good," he whispered, more to himself.
The cub turned its head like it didn't care, but the emotions told a different story.
Beneath the pride and instinct, there was relief. The Ravager hadn't just been Arden's enemy.
It had been its killer.
And now, it was gone.
Arden leaned back against the cave wall, letting out a tired chuckle.
After resting for a while and feeling the ache in his limbs ease up, Arden slowly pushed himself off the wall. His muscles still protested, but he could move now, and that was enough.
He gathered some dry twigs and leaves from the cave's edge, stacking them carefully before sparking a flame with a bit of help from friction and instinct.
It wasn't elegant, but the fire came to life in soft crackles, lighting up the space with a dim glow and chasing the chill from the air.
He sat near it, rubbing his hands together before pulling out the meat he had skinned from the wild beast earlier. It wasn't much, stringy and rough, but it was clean and it would keep him going.
As he set it to roast over the fire, he noticed the cub again.
It sat a short distance away, staring directly at him. Or rather, at the food.
Its little body was still curled near the larger corpse, though it had shifted just enough for Arden to spot the way its nose twitched.
Its eyes darted from the meat to the flames, then away again like it was pretending not to care.
Arden raised an eyebrow, a small grin tugging at his lips.
"Proud little thing, huh?" he murmured.
Once the meat was done, he tore off a small chunk and placed it on a flat rock, sliding it in the cub's direction before turning away.
He figured it'd eat better if he wasn't staring at it like some kind of predator.
He bit into his own share, chewing slowly.
It was dry and gamey, barely edible, and nothing like the spice-packed meals back on Earth.
Still, it filled his belly. And right now, that was enough.
He leaned back, chewing in silence while staring at the cave ceiling. The fire's warmth soaked into his skin, slowly pulling the fatigue from his bones.
As he sat there, his thoughts wandered.
He focused inward, trying to trace the flow of life energy within him, like a current of warmth weaving through his limbs.
It moved, slowly and faintly, not entirely under his control. He tried guiding it, but it slipped from his focus like smoke.
His mastery was low, no surprise there, but he could feel it, a subtle strength, a quiet force waiting to be shaped.
"It's alive… it's me," he whispered.
He didn't fully get it yet, but this energy was more than just fuel. It reacted to danger, amplified his body, helped him sense others. It had a rhythm of its own.
Arden sighed, setting his half-eaten meat aside. He looked toward the cub again.
It was nibbling on the chunk he gave it, pretending it didn't like it while tearing at it like a starved animal. Its ears perked up when it caught him watching, and it quickly turned its back to him, tail flicking.
He chuckled softly. "Yeah, you're welcome."
The cave grew quieter, and the fire dimmed as he lay back, staring at the flickering shadows on the wall.
He'd survived the first day.
He had no one to call family in this world… but he had a path to strength.
He had something most people in this world didn't—this strange, powerful connection to life itself.
His eyes grew heavier as the warmth settled deeper into his bones. He didn't fight the pull of sleep. His body was tired. His thoughts would wait for morning.
As the fire crackled low and the wind whispered beyond the cave's mouth, Arden drifted off with a quiet promise on his lips.
"I'll live this life right... no matter what it takes."
And so, the first day ended.
A/N
Thanks for sticking with Arden so far, please engage! Drop Comments and Reviews
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