He kept staring at the creature but still couldn't make out what it was. It was something he had never set eyes on before.
'It's a frog... but also a lizard?'
Before he could ponder on it more, the creature set off again, hopping away towards a large boulder.
He quickly followed it in order to stay on its trail and not miss it. At this point, everything felt confusing to him.
'What would a lizard frog want with a horse?' He thought as he chased after it.
Soon, it stopped after getting closer to the boulder. It stared at it confusedly while Clyde pulled to a stop behind a tree, panting a bit more than usual.
'How far is its base?'
He hid behind a tall tree, staring at it mildly at the giant frog with mild confusion. He couldn't understand why it was pausing between moments, as if it wanted to be sure of something.
Then, after a while of consideration, it bolted away faster than it came. Before Clyde could think of following up, the boulder began to move, growing larger than its already large size.
"What the heck is this now?" He asked, staring at the massive figure that emerged from the boulder.
"I could swear that shit was a boulder seconds ago!" He whispered to himself.
He stared at its massive frame. It backed the moonlight, so it wasn't easy to make out what it was at first until it opened it eyes and its wings.
Immediate fear rushed through Clyde's body, and he immediately withdrew, rushing back to the tree he emerged from.
"It's impossible! That's a freaking dragon right there! What's a dragon doing in these parts of the woods!!" He cried out softly.
With its massive build, it moved forward and grabbed the frog like creature with its maw and threw it within its mouth.
While eating, it suddenly sneezed, and the forest trees reacted shaking violently at the pressure, and in that split moment, the moonlight caught him.
'Stay calm, stay calm, it's too busy to notice you!' He remained in the same position, not moving or panicking from the spot.
The trees retracted back to their roots, still shaking slightly from the force.
After chewing and swallowing the frog like creature, it turned its fury eyes toward where he hid and moved closer.
[I smell your fear, little one. Shadows will not shield you… not from me.] It spoke with a trembling voice.
From Clyde's perspective, it was almost like the dragon was speaking directly into his mind, but he remained calm, using the shadows to slowly move away.
'Dragon's have heightened senses, so I should be careful with my movements or I might not live past this night'
He moved calmly between trees from the impending danger, using the loud footsteps of the dragon to escape.
He glanced back at the shadow of the moving dragon. So focused on it, he forgot to watch where he was going and slammed headfirst into a tree.
The impact rattled his skull and tore a startled cry from him as he fell, crashing through bushes and rustling leaves. The noise was all the dragon needed to confirm his presence, and it instantly moved toward him.
'Shoot! I messed up, and now I'm gonna pay for it.'
He hurriedly stood up from the fall, cleaning himself as he instantly broken into a sprint. But before he could travel a distance, a shadow so wide covered the whole area in its darkness, including him.
[A human?!!] The dragon emerged.
He stopped, holding himself together as he slowly turned around to meet the dragon's gaze.
[What's a human doing in this part of the forest? What do you seek in the darkness?] It surprisingly responded calmly.
'A talking dragon? That means the stories are true. Dragons are really beings of higher knowledge'
"I only came here to find out the base of the frog like creatures that have been disturbing lately," he responded plainly, turning around and raising his hand into the air.
"I did not come to fight," he added.
[Tell me why you trespass here. Choose your words with care… for they may be your last.] It asked further, as if trying to find reason for his upcoming death
'My answer right now might lead to my death or sparing, should I be honest or lie?' He thought within before he answered.
"To be honest, I'm new to this city and don't know much about it. I was tasked with protecting a stable, and this creature happens to be the one endangering the horses.
So my job is to kill it, but before that, I wanted to find out where its base is," he said honestly, hoping to win a little sympathy from the dragon.
It stared at him for a while as if making a decision between ending his life and sparing him.
'I'm not sure about dragons, but if it's able to talk and think like a higher being then it should be able to feel as well and there's only one way to find out' he placed his bet on the gamble and let the rest play out.
After a long while of consideration, it finally spoke out
[I have a request, and your answer to this request will determine what's going to happen next]
"I'm willing to hear it," he spoke out, with a small spark of hope within him.
[It's quite simple] it started off, its voice slowly turning into something menacing.
[You will bind yourself to me, mind, body, and soul without any limitation. You will complete tasks for me… and keep me entertained,] it declared, the rest left unsaid, the decision left for him to decide.
'What's this? Some sort of slave contract?' He asked himself.
"And what's my gain from this? I'm nothing but weak," he asked, voice steady despite the tension.
The dragon chuckled, low and rumbling, clearly amused by his words.
[If you perform your tasks well, to my satisfaction… I might grant you a fraction of my power. Fail, and you get nothing.] It said plainly.
"I accept. It's not like I have a choice anyway," he sighed under his breath.
[That's a reasonable answer for someone who values his life]
[Bring forth your palms and hold them up] the dragon ordered, it's voice now less menacing than before.
He raised his palms high up as the dragon requested and closed his eyes for what was about to happen next.
It placed its fingernails on his palms, causing it to bleed, then it pulled back.
[Open your eyes, and lick the blood]
"What?" He immediately raised his head from the sentence.
The dragon didn't repeat itself twice, and Clyde understood the assignment. He raised his palms closer to his face and tasted his blood.
It tasted metallic, like a penny or a coin. But afterwards, his skin glowed orange for a brief moment before it disappeared and a screen appeared in front of his vision.
╔═════════════════════════╗
Tamer: Clyde [Unranked]
Bonded Beast(s): 0 (Locked)
Rank: N/A
Codex Integrity: 94% [Error Detected]
Reverse bonding Detected: 1
Beast Type: Dragon
1. Beast Records
2. Bond Tracker
3. Tamer Stats
4. Skill Grimoire
5. Growth Gauge
6. Hidden Pages (Locked)
HP: 500/500
Stamina: 210/210
Beast Handling: E
Combat Skill: E+
Willpower: D+
Next Rank Up: 0/500 Beast Points
(Beast Points earned by subduing, defeating, or taming beasts)
— Soul Core —
Current Rank: Awakened
Next Rank: Attainer
Soul Core Link: Beast Core
— Soul Core Progression —
Awakener – Level 1
Attainer – Level 150
Souless – Level 305
Hunter – Level 450
Former – Level 650
Tamer – Level 800
Lord – Level 999
╚═════════════════════════╝