Orthrus

"There are three solutions to every problem: accept it, change it, or leave it. If you can't accept it, change it. If you can't change it, leave it."

- Buddha

"What??" Juliet told me to stop the poachers with any means necessary. "That is plain crazy!" I can see the level of the poachers are 8 to 10 level higher than me. Handling one or two would not be a problem, but it was a camp with dozens of high level poachers. "Are you trying to get me killed Grandma?" I sneer because of this absurd request. I looked Jean, her faces just lite up in contempt, Lunar just told her about the request. "Fuck that grandma!" She said whispering. "We going to fly out this place now!" She inclined to do so. And then something that Blue sensed changes the situation completely. The lesser Cerberus is a pair, the female one is due to labor. "Jackpot!" It can get any better than this, we have to help the laboring animal to escapes over 30 miles away south of the river. "Shit!" I cursed.

A lesser Cerberus is a failed experiment of the research team, desolated land is so radio active so nobody dare to enter the area, the animals there are weird and mutated. I asked if we can leave now, but Jean seems not liking the idea anymore. She hates people mistreating something, in the fact that she was abandoned by her mom. I hate personal feelings, i mumble in my thoughts, it just make hard things harder.

Pregnant animal is a common thing to find in a poachers camp, since poaching never goes with the rules, occasionally they follow the target into their lair to take the whole flocks as harvest. They even rounded up the younger animal, everything sells in the black markets.

We setup a plan, to distract the poacher, make a fire, take the cage and free the lesser Cerberus. About how to take them we will try to work on it, later on. Red and blue will attack from two sides. Two cages on the left with low level captured will be released to distract the poachers. The cage of the lesser Cerberus is almost on the edge on the right, so i will take the cage to the right and free the lesser Cerberus to the nearest tree lines. To cover their escape Fang will try to throw the poachers of tracks.

Fang is starting to make track marks on the right tree lines, he then back tracked back to camp, he scatter the track to the river side both up and down stream and to the outskirts of west Rogan. The double back track is a mile away, enough to buy us time. Red in his original size, start to make a fire from the north area of the camp, then he is back to fire form and slip away. While the poachers start to put off the fire on the north. Blue start a fire in the south area of the camp, fire started on the south. The poacher is splitting in two to put out the fire, Jean release animals on the two cages, when the animals spotted the poachers start to split in three to catch the animals. I move haste to the lesser Cerberus cage and drag them to the tree lines. I opened the cage, the male lesser Cerberus jumps me down. Fang attacked it immediately, the lesser Cerberus and Fang struggling, i find it difficult to continued with the mission to release the lesser Cerberus, now i see clearly the lesser Cerberus is 5 level above and a red label animal. So for a quick fix i need to take down the lesser Cerberus first then deal with the female one. Red is at his original size take down the level 28 lesser Cerberus. He pinned down the lesser Cerberus, bite the lesser Cerberus throats and ripped it apart, the second head is struggling to gain the balance but Red do the same with that head also after he ripped it a part, i take the culler and shove it into the lesser Cerberus heart, i manage to extract 3 vials of high grade good potential zero nites. The commotion was almost taken care off, most of the loose animal was taken back to the cages, some was killed by the poachers. The fire is putted off in the north, the south have more man to pit off the fire. I hold my shield into the cage as Jean follow me, the female lesser Cerberus is rather smaller in size and having a hard time, the poachers has injured it in capturing process in this dying time she manage to made a 3 pups delivery, sadly the pups in very bad conditions the mother is still growling, and try to attack us. Time is running out, and the poachers is now almost done taking over the commotion. I get when the lesser Cerberus almost mauled my chest, Jean parried it for me. I jammed my sword to her right head,trying to bite me Jean manage to jammed her sword to the second head. I jammed a culler to her heart, while Jean with haste checked the pups conditions, two of them died the third is barely breathing, in the nick of time Jean decided to take the bonded ritual, we toked the pups! The lesser Cerberus male carcass is being dragged back to the cage. As we escaped the Red and Blue set fire to the cage burning everything to ashes. The poachers came to the spot, me and Jean already quite far when Red and Blue fly away towards the desolated land, an landed near the river tree lines and slipped away in fire form, to back track to our position.

Jean injected the lesser Cerberus pup with her blood. Lunar stated the pup is now stable, the bonded process succeeded. I contact the Valorem, Juliet arrange after clearing the tree lines. Three Master Compiler will be escorting us to Valorem. Under the shrouds of the forest we succeeded our double mission the request mission is done. And first infiltration mission is also a success. The poachers never knew what or who hit them.

We arrived to the implant facilities only to get our lesser Cerberus vial confiscated, for our mission in the adventurer guild we got 2 vial substitution by Valorem it was also a red label, so we got the bonus, and the rest of the lesser Cerberus vial will be compensated by the school. Jean will have to wait clearance to get the lesser Cerberus handed over to her, the lesser Cerberus pup is a male and Jean registered the name 'Orthrus' for it. Juliet summon us to the hall of heroes after we cleaned our selves. She congratulate us for doing our first infiltration and retrieve a good specimen. In a month she will sends Master compiler to the south side of the south garden to cross the river to get Intel and procure some lesser Cerberus for the Valorem research department. It was a new breed of animal that survive the cataclysmic event.

We rested and in the morning we were at the adventure guild to cash in our reward. We split the reward half way, but we use the bonus to go to a fine diner to take a date. And we gained level.

Cass 24, Jean 23, Fang 21, Snow 13, and Pilot 14, seems that the Dragons experience bar is harder to filed and leveled up. That is understandable since they are higher level than all of us. We end the afternoon cuddling and making out in my dorm. She got back to her dorm at evening time.

In the morning when we attended class there is a notice of the results of the re test taken by the Gamma team. One of the combatant is failed and will be dropped out from the Valorem. The fixed number on each team will be seven each, i got words that Jude Sands and a supporter girl name Rei Tanaka. Rei was transferred because of Grey, he is the only combatant to use a spear and no shield. The other six was a tanker but only Grey use one burst focus attack, Grey was a mid field player. So the Gamma team is officially terminated. A minimal five people is a standard team by the Valorem guide book, since the member talent functions only divided by three types.

Two days later, i went to see Juliet regarding the scouts report on the lesser Cerberus, the Master compiler has found more then a dozen lair of lesser Cerberus. Seven of the lair will be having pups in a short time, the Valorem will plan an acquisition team to procure the lesser Cerberus into Valorem development team. The lesser Cerberus has been thriving on the outer rim of desolated land, the shared numbers just made it an infestation. There will be more than Jean that will own a lesser Cerberus as companion, and almost be certain a task force from the southern or western outpost will be stationed near the desolated land. Since the Valorem is near, the fact that Valorem has found out this rare animal is a very meritorious effort for the western nation. And what effort that i may had over this matter, will be overlooked by the Valorem, but Juliet assured me that the hall of heroes will be forced to put the achievements on my hall of heroes resume. Since i am the first of the Reed that ever reach such as heights.

Two days later, me and Jean is given a task to go to the merchant guild in Rogan to check the possibility of lesser Cerberus or it's material in reaching Rogan black market. Since i will be in town for two days, i was better be at home, i need to let Jean meet my mother if we are gonna be in a steady relationship.

I walked out the car with Jean, we approach the Barnes mansion door. It is not polite to sneak in if you bringing a guest. The guards is new accept for the head, he recognize me and let me into the house. Barnaby is still out so i got to the kitchen to meet my mom.

"Cass!! Mommy Cass is back!!" a lively little girl shouted at me, as she is running and hugs me, i picked her up. "Jean this is Jenny my little sister" Jean pat Jenny's head. My mother came running and hugs me, i introduce Jean as my girlfriend and a smile on her face "oh you are so beautiful dear, let us get you rested on the guess room!" She called one of the kitchen maid to take the suitcase and take Jean to her rooms. I was left with Jenny in the kitchen, Jean is giving me faces, i sign her to go, i will follow later.

"Now Jen, are you been good when i was away in school?" I asked Jen.

"I was Cass! I obey Mommy always! And i raise Goldy, brush her feather everyday!" Jen eagerly brings that up.

"Hmm I've been wondering about that little birdie too! Can you show her to me?" I asked Jen.

Jen brings me to the back of the mansion, Goldy is the Golden Eagle that i give to Jenny before i went to the Valorem four months ago. She is almost full grown and in juveniles stage of growth.

"Sometimes she catches some mice in the garden Cass, but it was not my fault! I fed her a lot, sometimes Mr.Barnes even fed her extra. She said the mice was tasty" Jen seems afraid that i will take Goldy if she can't handle to take care of it. Jean got out the house, walking toward me.

"Your mother is something alright just like what you tell me, she will smothered me to death with affections" Jean smiling, and then she pat Jen. "I want to introduce Goldy to a friend" She called Pilot. A juveniles white owl comes into the backyard, and landed in Jean's arm. "This is Pilot, she is a Snow Owl." Jen touch Pilot's feather with glassy eyes. "She is beautiful" Jen said. "So does this pretty Golden Eagle, Goldy right?" Jean praised Goldy. And then Jean place Pilot on the spare perch, beside Goldy's perch. Goldy is pretty spoiled, she has four perch in the backyard. Fang came along with Snow, and seeing Snow is an automatically wants to hug activity. She is very cute, she is a mini version of a full grown snow leopard. I never brought her home, since she was too little to take out the last time i come home.

Jen i want to show you something, and Jean has one too. From inside my cloak a Red blood lizard came out and from Jean's cloak a Blue bright lizard came out. Jen is in awe, i let her hold Red and Jean wraps blue around Jen's shoulder. My mom screams a lot seeing the lizards, she did hate reptiles. I put Red at my room, and Jean put Blue in hers, too prevents commotion.

Mr.Barnes came home at 21.00, and straight after cleaning he dine with us. Later that night in the study, me and Jean discuss about our real mission in Rogan. The net that Mr.Barnes have on the Black Market is very good, in one hour we manage to get a complete information about the lesser Cerberus. Seems the poachers that use to trade with the Fadia family in Karmel has somehow washed up in Rogan, about three months ago there are high demand from many private request to obtain lesser Cerberus zero nites, parts and specimen. But about two weeks ago, the Eastern Empire has been on their very best effort to raid almost every illegal transaction of these creature zero nites, parts and specimen. So the poachers is diverting the cash in point of their expeditions, that already on the way back to gather these creatures to the Western Nation. Rumor says that the Eastern Empire has manage to breed in captivity, a couple of these lesser Cerberus. Since no one dare to enter the desolated land through the south border in Eastern Empire, the empire will drive the poachers away to monopolize these creature supplies in eastern empire. The poachers shift their market to the western nation. That only means that we have lost many turn in this; lesser Cerberus discovery.

But "when a wind is rustling there is a storm brewing", some poachers has sighted something else when they was hunting for lesser Cerberus.

"Are you Grub Holiday?" Cass

"Maybe, who want to know?" Grub

"I do, Cass of the Barnes.." Cass

"Barnes hmm, sure Cass, what can i help you?" Grub

"You are a poacher for the snake head gangs?" Cass

"I did a couple of trip, but i see no laws is broken by the so called gangs" Grub

"Have it your way, i am looking for information when you are out hunting for certain unique animal, a two head animal" Cass

He looked nervous, and close the gap between us, and whisper.

"Are you really with the Barnes, i will get in trouble if you are not, i ain't exactly a good guy if you get my drift" he said it carefully.

I stand up, and shout "Now everybody in this bar! Free drinks all around! A treats from the Barnes family and this new friends Mr.Holiday!"

He loose his body, knowing openly that if someone do that and have no real connection with the Barnes, he will be dead in an hour. Hunted down like an animal.

Grub tells me that when he and his gangs hunt down the lesser Cerberus, he risk of being spotted by someone from the East Border guard of Eastern Empire. He makes a risky way up the mountain, heading to the border between the desolated land and the eastern empire. He see the soldier of eastern empire catching a winged beast, by spying nearly for one hour. One of the commander giving order to the soldier to sent the "Wyvern" to the Karmel city military bestiary facilities. I thank him for the info with a vial of mid grade zero nites. He smiles "No one get scam, dealing with the Barnes, we all law abiding honest man!" I said to him sneering. He sneered back and drink his beer.

I got out the bar, four Barnes guards is with me. I open the door of the car, and get in.

"So what do we know?" Barnaby asked me.

"I smell a war is coming Mr.Barnes, between East and West, it was going to be ugly. We should make an asset transfer to capitol!" He was surprised.

I tell him about the Wyvern, it was a lesser dragon. If the Eastern Empire army is breeding those creatures too, besides the lesser Cerberus, then the Eastern Army power is beyond of our comprehension.

"Let's get home!" He said to the driver.