Chapter 12: A Fire in Their Steps

Morning crept in quiet and soft. Arden stirred with the first light, the faint embers of their last fire still warm.

He stretched his limbs, joints cracking slightly from the cold stone floor.

Zephyra lay curled at his side, eyes barely open, blinking against the light.

There was a calmness in the air, but he knew better than to waste it.

He roasted some meat from yesterday's hunt, nothing fancy, just seasoned with a few edible leaves he had foraged. A handful of wild fruits completed the meal.

He tossed a chunk of meat to Zephyra, who snapped it mid-air with a sharp gleam in her eyes, chewing happily.

"Eat well," Arden said, brushing ashes off his fingers. "We've got a long day ahead. Don't know when next we'll rest like this."

Zephyra didn't answer, of course, but the way her ears twitched and tail flicked said enough.

They set out into the morning mist, the mouth of the cave slowly shrinking behind them.

Arden had one plan today—hunt, and grow stronger, while helping Zephyra do the same.

He needed more life signatures, preferably something that could expand his skill set. Offense, defense, or mobility, he didn't care which. Anything would help now.

Cinderfang Ravager territory stretched ahead, the air tinged with heat and scattered with scorched stones.

Arden kept his senses sharp, his fingers brushing against each other.

It wasn't long before they met the first ravager.

The beast as always, fast and violent, covered in jagged scales and muscle, each one seething with faint ember lines, as if molten blood flowed just beneath its hide.

Zephyra launched forward before Arden could even command her, her lean frame cutting through the air like a gust.

She didn't have the strength to take it down on her own, at least not yet, but her moves were quick, weaving in and out, striking with precision.

Arden realized her affinity wasn't just wind. It carried a strange, oscillating quality, like compressed air moving at unnatural speeds.

"Zephyra, left flank!" he called, stepping forward just as the ravager lashed out.

She shifted immediately, understanding without hesitation. Arden met the beast head-on, reacting with his fist brimming with energy which left a huge dent on its side. The two moved in rhythm. Where she couldn't pierce, he punched. Where he was open, she distracted.

When the beast finally collapsed, steam rising from its body, the system chimed in his mind.

Life energy absorbed.

Shared Energy Distribution: Companion-linked.

Zephyra's affinity strengthened.

Link Level: Basic Resonance formed.

"Not bad," Arden muttered, crouching to catch his breath while Zephyra paced nearby. "You're getting faster."

She gave a low hum in reply, her fur bristling with energy.

They didn't stop. Arden wanted more, and Zephyra was as hungry for it too.

Deeper into the wild, the terrain shifted slightly.

The ground softened under their boots, damp and covered in dense undergrowth. That's when they came across it.

It stood alone by a blackened pool, tall and broad-shouldered, with thick bark-like skin and twin horns that curved inward like crescent moons. Its arms were massive, hanging like clubs, and its eyes glowed with a muted yellow light.

Beast Identified

Species: Dreadhorn Moirak

Affinity: Earth

Rank: Mid, D-Tier

Trait: Shock Pulse Hide – Releases a burst of concussive force when struck repeatedly.

Arden didn't waste time. He moved low, keeping his steps light as the beast snarled, dragging one heavy foot forward. The ground beneath it cracked slightly with each move.

As he struck, the beast responded exactly as warned. After three hits, its body pulsed outward with a low hum, knocking both Arden and Zephyra off their feet.

"Damn... that's going to be a problem," he muttered, rolling back to a crouch.

He didn't hesitate. With Infernic Drift, he shot past the terrain like a shadow, his movement leaving behind glowing trails that briefly scorched the earth. He used the skill to position himself behind the beast, while Zephyra circled opposite, kicking up dirt and leaves as she moved.

The battle played out in bursts. Arden would draw the beast's attention, take the blows, then phase out at the last second. Zephyra followed his tempo, slicing in from blind spots. The beast's hide released more shock pulses, but Arden timed his movements just right, never staying close long enough for the pressure to build.

Finally, with one heavy upper cut to its lower jaw, the beast dropped.

Life energy absorbed.

Gained Life Signature: Tremor Vein

Effect: Grants seismic feedback ability. Every third consecutive attack sends a shockwave through terrain or target.

Secondary: Increased resistance to concussive force and stagger effects.

Arden's eyes widened. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

He glanced at Zephyra. Her chest rose and fell quickly, but she looked unharmed, and Focused.

"Good girl," he said, tossing her another fruit from his pouch. "Let's keep this up. We've got a lot more ground to cover."

And with that, they faded back into the trees, two sparks growing steadily stronger in the wild.

The days slipped by, marked only by blood, wind, and the rhythm of survival.

Arden's routine had become a cycle.

Hunt, fight, absorb their life energy and look for another prey.

Each beast he faced tested something different, and as he pressed deeper into the Outlands, though still within the first zone, the challenges sharpened.

The weaker ones he finished off quickly, but the stronger ones pushed him, and forced him to think, to adapt.

Zephyra thrived in the wild. Her movements were growing faster, and her strikes more precise.

She could now hold her own against mid-tier D-rank beasts without panicking, and though Arden still had to step in at times, he watched her confidence build with each skirmish.

The bond they shared was real, something born out of shared danger, something that grew stronger every time they fought side by side.

Arden had changed too. His control over life energy wasn't just instinctual anymore.

It was refined and more focused. The techniques he had been practicing were starting to feel natural, woven into the flow of his movements.

He no longer relied on brute strength alone.

He used his understanding of the terrain, his momentum, senses, and the energy flowing through him.

A/N:

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