Training

Walking into the one room bedroom Neil looked at the bed and collapsed on top of it. With the countless emotions flowing through him, his mind slowly dulled as he fell asleep to the rhythmic purrs of his fluffy companion. 

Sleep came quickly and darkness arrived soon after. The darkness was warm, light but heavy, and peaceful. 

Thinking about what darkness actually is, Neil found himself looking at what he wanted to do in the future. But then...

"Finally, someone warm. Mom said to hide until someone warm and young came around." The mysterious voice was spoken in almost a whisper. Passing throughout the dark void like the waves of a river. 

"Hello?" Neil questioned. Confused about the sudden voice. 

"..." The voice went silent. Clearly surprised that another voice was heard as well. "Hey, what are you doing in my void?" The voice questioned. 

"Well I was just trying to sleep. Sorry for intruding." Neil says as he apologizes. Trying to calm down the being he's talking to. 

"Oh, it's you." The void collapsed into a giant being with four legs, a tail, and a head. The giant black cat continued shrinking down until it mirrors the cat sleeping on Neil stomach. "Mom said to find someone warm and you're the perfect warm that it makes me want to sleep all day!" 

"Wait, what type of cat are you again?" Neil asks with a large amount of confusion. Since when could beasts talk? His father told him nothing about talking animals when he was growing up. The most he learned was the basics of a hunter because food was a necessity. 

"I don't know. Mom just said find someone warm and stay close to them. Oh and to grow up really strong. Mom disappeared one day. Said this place was too small for her. Which doesn't make sense because she could have fit on the bed we're on." The little cat yawned and fell back asleep dreaming about fish and it's mother "prrrrrrr" "purrrrrr". 

'What the hell is happening' Neil thought as he drifted away to get some actual sleep. Tomorrow would be the day where he would learn how to work at the information guild. Hopefully Plazz would go easy on him. As he closes his eyes once more his mind slows down and quits for the long, seemingly endless day. Finally getting some well deserved sleep. The darkness rumbles with the sounds of the two sleeping. 

____

The next day

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The morning air pierced the darkness with a nice, warm breeze. The sun slowly peaking over the distant mountains. Sitting on the bed by the window, Neil looked out and admired the sun. It's warmth spreading everywhere. The roosters cawing with the sun, marking that the day has begun. 

'I'm hungry.' Neil thinks as he sits on his bed. 'Food?' Neil hears as he stands up. Surprised by the new voice he looks to the pillows on the bed. A hungry little ball of darkness stumbles towards him.

'Interesting, so I can hear your thoughts now. That'll be useful.'

-Detecting host has made a connection with an intelligent monster-

-Monster has been detected as a level three dark beast. Any more information is locked because of hosts level-

-Document monster as tamed monster? -

'What is the difference between a wild and a tamed monster?'

-A wild monster is a creature that you may encounter in the wild. This can include, but is not limited to, canine monsters, serpent monsters, aquatic monsters, air born monsters, and many... many more that are hostile or just neutral to you. Some are intelligent and some act off of basic instincts like hunger and fear.-

-Tamed monsters are monsters that have built a connection with an intelligent species. This can lead to either taming monsters or temporarily allies or neutral towards each other. For instance, the system is a neutral monster which serves to give you information and help you categorize information that you gather. That would be considered a permanent ally. -

'Interesting that the system called itself a monster... alright. Let's become allies." Neil says in his mind. 'FOOD!' The blob of darkness jumps at Neil and lands on his lap. 'Food?'.

'Ok... ok we can go get food now.' Neil says.... thinks aloud to his partner in crime. 

'Yay!! I want chicken... NO No I want fish. But I don't want the chicken to get lonely... I want both.' The blob says without any room for argument. Starting out of the room Neil grabs his coin bag and walks to the door.

'I'm going to name you greedy because of all the things that you want to eat.' 'No no.... But I so hungry' 'I only have so much money' "meowwwwww" If their neighbors heard them then they would be laughing on the ground. 

____

Gallah Inn, Bar side, Early morning

____

Walking down to the bar Neil picked up a menu and started looking at the options. Sighing, he realizes that at least half of the items on it were fish. This city lived by the ocean, well at least it was by the ocean. Looking out at the rising sun Neil thought about how his day was going to go. 

'The Information Guild opens at 10am so I have a little more than three hours to do things. I definitely want to try that cultivation that Plazz talked about. I also need to find a place for my cat to stay while I work.'

'I wanna work too' The cat thinks stubbornly. Repeating thinking that over and over in its head to annoy Neil. 

'Alright... HEY I said alright, you can come to work with me as long as you don't cause a mess. I need a way to earn money and I can't lose this job. What would you even do there? Be a mascot?'

'NO... Soot does NOT want to be a mascot. Now give me food!'

'Soot... Hmm, that is a good name. Good job.'

'Don't ignore me smelly human! I am Soot the Fearless. I will make entire continents afraid of even offending me!' Soot mews with the courage of 1,000 lions. 

'Yes yes, now eat your fish sticks.' Neil says to calm down the fearless beast who began to nibble on the fishes. 

"See you later." The bartender says as Neil leaves the bar.

"Bye." Neil replies. Walking out of the Gallah Inn Neil starts off towards the gate closest to the Inn. He wanted to get a better sense of the area around him. He didn't even know how big a 'city' was supposed to be. Walking along side him was Soot. Soot had a growth spurt last night. He was too tired till now to even notice it until the bartender pointed it out. Soot was now up to Neils upper calf. Almost reaching his knee. 

Last night she was only up to his lower calf's. Her growth rate caused her to be hungrier so its a good thing that they offered free breakfast. She ate four plates full of fish sticks. 

Walking along the main road to the gate, Neil focused on memorizing his surroundings. It hadn't been more that 72 hours since he and his father were ambushed by that crazy guy, the general of the fallen order, and his soldiers. 

He noted significant buildings, statues, alleyways, and finally he got to the northern gate. Traveling for about 30 minutes he finally saw it. Walking up to it, he saw a majestic stone pillar that was 5 feet thick and close to 20 feet tall. Most of the guards were focusing on getting the tax for incoming people while some others were sleeping up on the upper walls. Pretending that they were being focused. 

'Well, this is a lot less that what I was expecting... At least there isn't anyone attacking. Most of these guys are just bored out of their mind.'

Looking at the security... it was very lacking to say the least. He could just walk out and nothing could stop him. Those thick wooden gates looked pretty menacing though. 

Having gotten a better mental map of the area where he lived, Neil heads back to the information guild. Having an extra hour left for walking. Soot was already super tuckered out.

If you looked out your window you could see a young man walking around with the wierdest hat you've ever seen. The hat was still one second and then moved the other second. It's black color being even more strange that it seemed like no light could reflect off of it.

Walking into what seemed like the commerce area, Neil and Soot sat down trying to think of what else to do before Neil has to go into work.

"COME ONE, COME ALL, TO THE ANNUAL RE-OPENING OF THE FAMOUS MASTER HILLS BLACKSMITH. OPENING ONLY ONCE A YEAR YOU DONT WANNA MISS IT!"

'Hey Soot, let's go look for some weapons. My sword is just a basic training sword so it isn't very sharp'

'YAY, can we get fish later? Please please please please please plea-'

'Yeah yeah we can get fish later. But first let's look at weapons' walking towards the blacksmiths giant building, Neil was amazed from all of the different weapons.