CHPT 20: Unreal?

The beast spoke in between earthquake inducing growls. It's voice wasn't right either, it was speaking correct but hearing human language come from the vocal chords of a monster was absolutely horrifying.

Claude didn't know who the giant monster could be talking to so he decided to stay quiet. Even if he wanted to talk, he'd have to wait for his spine to stop tingling first.

The beast took another eerily silent step towards him— causing his body to betray him further as he began to try harder to curl into himself and away from the beast.

"Hrmmmm...WHY DIDN'T YOU DINE ON YOUR KILL?....grrrrRRR!"

The beast yelled at him in a questioning manner. He thought the question over before answering, trying to be careful in what he said.

"I'm not an animal-- not a wild one at least....it felt...erhm...wrong. Taboo." He said shakily as he put his head up to face at least the beasts legs.

"Hmm...I think yoU're JuSt scarrrEd to embRrrace what you arrrrrre...grrrr.."

Claude thought the question over, wondering what he meant but was interrupted by the beast speaking again.

"You are...rr..a promising individual..heheheh..maYbE. IF yOu StOp BeInG SuCH A ScArEd liTtLe..shIT, aLl In tImE. That shit Cern got a pretty strong pupil as well but I think if you use my blessings well you will become incredibly strrrrrrongg. bUt! OnLy iF you USe thEm.....ONLY!"

Claude was so confused, he decided to ask the question that seemed easiest to answer.

"Who the hell is Cern?"

"Huh?...hE's like Me, a God...he's a diCK thOuGh.....mm."

Claude almost passed out from shock. Or maybe from hearing a giant monster call someone a "dick."

"Y-you're a...uhm..a God?"

Claude could almost feel the beasts burning gaze reach new blazing temperatures after it heard his idiotic rhetorical question.

"YES!..grr..tHat dOEsn't matter, I dOn't HavE MuCh time...grrr, you COmpleted the qUeSt fasterrrgrRrR....than I thought you would...lIsTen to me, do nOt reJect your power." The beast said in a rushed tone.

"My p-power? What are you talking about?" Claude asked.

The wolf lowered its head so Claude could physically feel its molten breath on the back of his neck, then the beast smelled him.

SNIFFFFFFF

"Heheheheheh.....grrrrrr...your mOre LikE us tHan yOou tHink, boy..grr...DiStAnTlY....I smELL IT!"

The beasts final message sent a chill down Claudes spine. Immediately after the beast turned to its side lifting its leg to let a stream of flaming hot piss hit Claude as his world suddenly faded to black.

***

September 5, 2240

Claude was welcomed into consciousness by pain and random aches that announced themselves all at the same time in an agonizing chaos. He groggily opened his eyes and saw a navy blue screen appear, it read; [Astral Quest Complete!].

"Wait...astral..???.... that was like...a dream??"

Claude was astonished. That unreal experience was in fact not real. "But ..I felt everything. I tasted everything." He thought as he remembered his intense primal desire to consume the buck whole. He slightly shuddered in disgust at the memory.

DING!

Claude heard a familiar sound and then a slightly transparent green screen with a beautiful frame that entailed roots and different animals appeared. "Finally." He said as he began to read the system message.

[Welcome Claude Grey, I am your System. You have been successfully Reborn. Due to your impressive speed, animalistic/wild tendencies and understanding of the canine species you have been given the class of...Beast Tamer, along with the Skills, "(Bestial Assistance.)" and "(Beast Trait.)". You've also been given a +5 in the Speed and Willpower stat. Further information on class and Skills can be accessed at a later time if you wish it. Congratulations on your Rebirth, Claude. Remember, you are in control of the beasts...don't let them control you.]

Claude read the message over and over in shock and excitement. He was very surprised that the Beast Tamer class was the one he received, but after read the Systems analysis on him it made quite a bit of sense. He didn't even know much about this Class since there weren't many famous Beast Tamers. "I'll have to check it out in the library." He thought.

Claude scanned the room he was in for the first time. It's familiar clean white walls, vast open windows and row of beds gave him plenty of memories..he's spent a lot of time in the infirmary after all. He looked to his right— coming face to corner with a bedside table, he noticed a note folded hotdog style standing up on the table.

"Prof. Raizen?" He said quietly as he grabbed the paper and read the writing on the front. He unfolded it and began to read it.

"Dear Claude, sorry we couldn't stay until you woke up, Astral Quests tend to take a while for first timers. Anyway, you did a great job out there in the redwoods..amazing even, I'm sure your team is grateful and just as astonished as the rest of the class. Also since I'm sure that display against the snake was your official Rebirth don't be surprised if your a few levels ahead of your classmates..most kids don't slay monster snakes upon their Rebirth...don't let it get to your head, and check the bedside table."

Claude finished the letter and checked the bedside table. A light smile formed on his face as he saw the two silvers shining on the brown wooden surface of the table. He picked up one of the silvers and looked it over still holding his light smile, he threw the silver coin behind him—towards the occupied bed to the left of him.

The coin flipped through the air towards the bed.

SNATCH!

A thickly muscled arm shot up and caught the coin in an instant.

Claude turned around and faced Ursula who now sat up on her bed like him.

She wore an expression of anger, but her cheeks were puffy and her eyes were glossy, she somehow looked even more muscular since the last time he saw her making him question how long he'd been in the hospital.

"It took you long enough to wake up...I was w-" Ursula was cut off by Prof. Callista entering the room.

"Yea it did, you were out for three days, that must've been a difficult Astral Quest, huh??" She said in her familiar hispanic accent.

"What is an Astral Quest and why am I just now hearing about it???" He asked in an aggravated tone.

"It's a bit shrouded in mystery since people tend to have a variety of experiences. What we do know is, once your Reborn the System sends you to some sort of nonphysical realm once you fall asleep, often described as dreamlike or unreal."

"What's the purpose?" He asked Prof. Callista.

"It's used as a type of tutorial to introduce you to your new abilities more or less and if you do well you can meet powerful ghosts/spirits or historical figures that once used your class or even gods who can lend you some of their power, insight or even abilities, but that's quiet rare." She said.

She studied Claude's face and noticed he had a look of clarity which intrigued Prof. Callista.

"What did you see Claude?" She asked.

He looked at her with a serious expression, "A giant wolf that said he was a God...then it pissed on me....I would like to shower..."

Prof. Callistas jaw practically fell off and Ursula let out a snort of laughter that almost made her look like her old self.

She took a step closer to Claude and looked him up and down saying,

"YOU SAW FENRIR!!????"