I trudged through the Verdant Rift, the ember coil's core pulsing warmly in my bloodied hand. Its ruby glow cast flickering shadows on the mossy ground, each throb from it a reminder of the battle I'd barely survived. The weight of my dagger at my hip felt heavier now, as if the victory had etched new meaning into its runes.
The Iron Fang Clan's encampment loomed ahead, its bonfires cutting through the twilight mist.
My body ached—burns and welts stung my side—but pride kept my steps steady. I'd faced an attack type Genome Beast and won. Now, I would present the ember coil core to Master Korren.
The encampment buzzed with tension as I approached. Seasoned cultivators and clan members gathered near the central fire, their eyes darting to the returning young men. Some carried cores, their faces flushed with triumph; others limped back empty-handed, heads bowed. Korren stood like a monolith, his silver braids glinting under the firelight, his scarred arms crossed as he surveyed the group.
I stepped forward, holding out the ember coil core. Its ruby light danced across Korren's weathered face, and the elder's stern expression softened into a rare, approving nod. "An ember coil," Korren said, his voice low but resonant. He took the core, turning it in his calloused hands, inspecting its flawless, radiant surface. "A rare creature type. Few of your age could claim such a prize. Its power is volatile Ash, but its potential…" He paused, his piercing eyes meeting mine.
"Your bonding could forge a foundation of great strength. Your father would be proud." My chest tightened at the mention of my father, but I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. The ember coil's attack type nature promised an offensive strength foundation, a path of speed and destruction.
Korren raised his spear, silencing the murmurs.
"The First Hunt is complete," he declared. "Those who have claimed cores, step forward. The Beast Crystal Bonding Ceremony begins." We formed a circle around a stone altar; its surface etched with ancient runes that glowed faintly under the moonlight. We each held up our Beast Crystal. "Bind your intent to the beast," Korren intoned. "Let its essence become yours." I closed my eyes, heart pounding as I released wisps on intent into the Ember coil beast crystal. Suddenly a surge of heat raced through my veins, and the Ember Coil Crystal glowed crimson and shot into my chest!
I saw flashes of the ember coil—its fiery scales, its whip-like tail, its predatory cunning. Pain lanced through me, then faded, replaced by a thrumming power. I gasped, stumbling back, as the clan watched in awe. I could feel the crystal reforming in my sternum.
Korren nodded, "Focus your intent and activate your Beast Mode, Ash. Feel the bond." I focused, reaching out, searching for the bond within me. My skin prickled, then hardened, thick red ember coil scales spreading across my arms, chest, back and legs, glinting like molten iron. I was still mostly human—my base form, as the elders called it—but the scales felt like armor, light yet unyielding.
I ran my tongue across my lips, and a flood of sensations hit me! The smoky tang of the bonfire, the metallic bite of the altar's runes, even the faint sweetness of the night air. My sense of taste was heightened, sharp enough to taste the world in ways I had never imagined. I flexed my hands, marveling at the scales' texture, and caught Torren's wide-eyed stare.
"You look like a walking inferno," Torren whispered, half-jealous, half-impressed. I grinned but doubt lingered. The Ember coil's offensive foundation would make me fast, lethal, but what of its rarity? Would it translate to a higher unpredictability. What would this power demand of me?
Torren stepped forward, he lifted his Beast Crystal as he focused his intent. His Storm Fang Wolf Crystal glowed azure and slammed into Torrens chest!
icy wind whipping through the firelit clearing. Then his body tensed. His spine arched, and a rush of gray-blue fur erupted along his arms and shoulders, curling down into his hands like gauntlets made of living storm.
His teeth lengthened. Cracks of pale energy spiderwebbed across his skin. Thunder rumbled faintly overhead, though the sky was still. Torren dropped into a low stance, the tips of clawed toes digging into the earth. His frame wasn't bulky, but sleek—like a predator mid-sprint. He blinked rapidly, shaking his head. "Whoa," he breathed. "I can hear everything."
He turned to me, wide-eyed. "I can hear your heartbeat. And that squirrel up in the tree. And… wait, is that a storm moving over the ridge?" Korren gave a short nod. "The storm fang foundation hones the body into a sensor and a weapon. You've bonded well. But do not let speed become arrogance."
Torren grinned again, fangs flashing. "No promises." Korren's voice cut through my thoughts. "The bond is set. You are cultivators now. But the Beast Vein Continent tests all who wield its power. Prepare yourselves."
As the clan dispersed, I stood by the dying fire, scales glinting under the stars. My journey as a cultivator had begun, the ember coil's essence pulsed within me, a promise—and a warning.