“If you fight a monster and want it dead, you best cut off that monster’s head.

Cause if you let a monster survive, soon you’ll be the one not alive.”

-Verse from a Native nursery rhyme

-

The night of drinking and bonding ended, and a week flew by. Well, flew by as much as a week could when each day involved getting beaten hours on end. Snowflake spent what little free time he had reading up on books that outlined the basics of physics, chemistry, and anatomy. He found the concepts fascinating, if somewhat limiting. Performing true magic –magic like becoming fire incarnate or soaring on the winds as if he were air itself-- seemed more and more like dreams of a lost world. Not something he could regain. Thinking about the magic, both the thing and the person, he’d lost made him feel hollow.

Oh, and he finally took the time to read his Starter Manual, the small book he found in the satchel he appeared here with. It gave him the basic run down of Classes, Cores, and the Dungeon.

Today started like most others, with a lap through the bottom layer of the obstacle course. Although he was far from an expert in the field of strengthening his body using chemical energy-- a process he had decided to call Reinforcement, categorizing and labelling it as people are apt to do—he was stronger, faster, and more athletic than he had ever been before. Thanks, in no small part, to the grueling cycle of destruction and regrowth his body was forced to endure. Having a stronger body meant that he could achieve more with less Source via Reinforcement.

That said, Honey was less than impressed, saying things like ‘you have not even approached your natural limit’ and ‘basic fitness is not much to brag about.’ Met with her stone-cold apathy to his improvements, Snowflake tried to use kinetic energy to accelerate his limbs. His goal was to use this new technique to complete the obstacle course in such a way that she’d bump him up to the second layer. The result was a lot of uncoordinated flailing, several tendons ripped from bone, and a snapped femur.

He put a pin in that concept-- Honey told him that his instincts were good, but his body wasn’t ready-- and decided to try something new. So, yesterday he tried to use kinetic energy in an external way for the same reason. The results were… similar. He pushed kinetic energy out from beneath his feet as he made a long jump to a moving platform. It worked, in a way, but his body wasn’t strong enough to handle the technique. Many of the small bones in his feet were shattered and the kinetic energy fueled jump sent him flying into a pillar.

As Mordai was patching him up, Snowflake’s instincts were once again praised. According to his red-skinned instructor, what he did was very similar to [Kinetic Step], one of Honey’s Skills.

In light of his recent failures, Snowflake completed today’s lap on the obstacle course without experimentation. Once he finished, sweating and out of breath, he took a few seconds to check himself for lumps. There had been an… incident, earlier in the week. It involved a lot of cutting and a grotesque lump of flesh. He was not eager to repeat it.

Satisfied with his lack of tumors, he retrieved his training weapons and made his way toward the sparring arena where Honey usually waited for him. The club was worse for wear, but the shield was brand new. He’d broken two others throughout the week.

Honey intercepted him partway to the arena.

“Go ahead and put those away,” she said. “We are going to do something a little different today.”

Snowflake winced but did as she requested. The nice thing about a routine was that he knew what sort of pain he could expect. New things meant he was unprepared for the fresh torment that undoubtedly awaited him. Not that he was unwilling, of course. His words from a lifetime ago still echoed in his mind, pushing him to recapture how he felt when he first said them. ‘Even if the gods, or reality itself, stands in my way.’

“Ready? Let’s go for a walk.”

“A walk?”

“Yes, I want to talk to you about something.”

Honey led him through the city to a small park on a low hill, nestled between two towering buildings. A small creek burbled through the wooded area. They sat down on a well-maintained wooden bench. Looking out from this bench atop a small hill, Snowflake could see over the city walls and to the forest and mountains beyond.

He fidgeted in the silence, unsure of what to think of the sudden development. He kept a wary eye on the grove around them, half expecting an ambush. Thankfully, Honey spoke before he could get too deep into his own head.

“You have worked really hard this week. Harder than I expected.” She settled into a comfortable position, alternating between looking at him and taking in the view. “You should be close to developing your Core. Have you decided which one you want?”

Snowflake all but preened at the praise, pointedly ignoring the fact that Honey was stalling. He knew her well enough by now to know this conversation was one they could have while he was recovering between beatings. Because he had to draw Source in as it came instead of storing it in his Core, he took frequent recovery breaks. Gathering Source under duress was difficult.

Part of him felt bad for monopolizing Honey’s time and depriving Ra’hel and Bonehammer of her instruction. Not that bad though; they seemed to be improving at a rate far quicker than his own.

Returning to the question at hand, he cast his thoughts to the Core types he’d narrowed his choice down to. He recalled their brief descriptions, picturing them in his mind.

Magic Core: causes physical adaptations to preferred magic. Known for mystical properties.

Monster Core: causes physical adaptations to conflict. Known for seeking out challenges.

Beast Core: incorporates superior qualities of beasts. Known for animal features.

There were other Cores, of course, but these were the ones he thought suited him best. Besides, he didn’t want to be stuck with a Core he didn’t understand, like a Psionic or Spirit Core.

He gathered his thoughts and explained his reasonings.

“I’ve narrowed it down to the Magic, Monster, and Beast Cores. I think one of those three will have the best harmonization with [Adaptability]. Everything here revolves around Source, so a Magic Core might be ideal. Both Monster and Beast Cores imply changes that will increase my physical ability, which seems like a pretty good choice.”

Honey nodded along with a thoughtful expression, weighing what she knew of his Unique Skill with what she knew of the three proffered Cores. After their night out, Ra’hel insisted they finish their game of guess during the evening. She claimed it wasn’t fair the boys got a pass on revealing theirs just because the group got distracted. Bonehammer once again opted out.

“I think that a Monster Core would suit you best.”

“Oh? I was leaning more toward a Magic Core.” Magic or Beast, to be honest. Magic because that is what he knew and the description’s claim of ‘mystical properties’ filled his heart with a glimmer of hope. Beast because he had a soft spot for animals. A life of magical beast husbandry was not quite off the table.

“Evolve and overcome,” Honey said like she was repeating a mantra, her voice soft and her gaze on something more distant than the horizon. “That’s what a Monster Core lets you do. All of the basic Cores have their own advantages but… let’s just say that with a Monster Core, your enemies will rip the Core out of your chest before they let you grow into a true threat.”

He turned away from her and followed her gaze into the distance. It was gorgeous out there. The sky was a brilliant blue, the forest an emerald green, and the distant mountains were a blue of a slightly different shade. He adored the differing shades of the sky and mountains. It was a diverse palette of blue playing backdrop to clouds built like unworldly cathedrals, high overhead.

He closed his eyes and felt the warmth of the sun on his face. A light breeze whistled though the trees, singing tenor to the creek’s relative bass. They sat there in silence, for several long minutes while he considered her words and the gravity behind them. When he finally spoke, it was almost a whisper.

“That seems less than ideal.”

“Better to die a true threat than live a mediocre waste.”

A blind man could see there was a story here. One that still hurt. He coughed, a bit awkward, and decided not to press the issue. His relationship with Honey as instructor and student was a bit complex. Maybe someday he could ask about her pain as a friend and equal. Until then, an invisible boundary was between them. With all the grace he could muster, he changed the subject.

“So, uh, what Core do you have?”

“A Kinetic Core.”

His brow furrowed at her reply. A Kinetic Core? Nothing he read had mentioned anything like that. He opened his eyes and looked over. Their eyes met. Hers had a playful glint, like she was deciding whether to tease him with the information, or the lack thereof. Thankfully, the side of her that played the instructor won out.

“Like Classes, Cores can advance and evolve under the right circumstances. My Magic Core became a Kinetic Core when I took the [Kinetic Battlemage] Class.”

That made sense. So far, all things pointed toward the System rewarding those that pushed boundaries. When he finally got a Class of his own, he had every intention of finding out for himself instead of hearing secondhand accounts.

“Is there a reason you’re so focused on kinetic energy?”

“I believe that all energy is kinetic in nature and only differs in application. Thermal energy is caused by fast moving atoms. Light and sound are energy moving in waves. It all comes back to the cornerstone of it all, movement.”

“Oh, I guess that makes sense.” Snowflake looked back out to the mountains and let out a heavy sigh. “It kind of takes away from the mystery of it all though. The magic in my world was raw and mystical. I loved the unbound potential it had. Here it seems so… so… clinical. The majesty of exploration and awe of discovery is just gone.”

“You have to understand the rules before you can find fun ways to break them.”

“Oh, I like that. Find your limits and defy them. Evolve and overcome.”

“Evolve and overcome,” Honey echoed, a faint, wistful smile on her lips

Snowflake mirrored her smile with one of his own. He felt like they shared a moment of vulnerability, a type of bonding a tad deeper than a few drinks in pleasant company. They basked in the moment, but eventually his curiosity got the better of him.

“So, is that what you wanted to talk to me about?”

“No, not quite. Are you familiar with Soulbonding?”

“I can’t say I am.”

“Souldbonding is a permanent merging of Soulspaces.” Honey spoke with her hands as much as her words, intertwining her fingers as she spoke about merging. “You take on aspects of each other and become lifelong partners, growing and fighting together.”

“Honey, I think you’re really great but I’m not sure I’m ready for that kind of commitment in my life. Besides aren’t you and Mordai a thi-oof.”

Snowflake’s playful attempt at humor was met with an equally playful jab in the shoulder. One landed much better than the other.

“Mordai and I have a little history. When you are stranded far from home, it is easy to find comfort in someone’s arms,” she said, shooting him a look he had trouble discerning. “But that was a long time ago. Friendship is a relationship that is less.” She paused, searching for a word. “Fleeting.”

He nursed his shoulder and nodded his understanding. Not satisfied, Honey had him voice his acknowledgement that her friendship with Mordai was complex, because people are multidimensional, and it was, most of all, none of his business. His insistence that it was only a joke was ignored with the practiced ease of someone who had a jokester near and dear to them.

After, the conversation once again turned to more serious matters.

“You have been training hard and growing well, but the truth is, you are weak. Very weak.” She leaned forward. Her hand, now resting on the lip of the bench, tightened. The wood creaked and her knuckles turned white. “I have been told that a high-level Guild official will be administering your test. I am afraid you will fail and be saddled with so much debt that you may never be able to get out from underneath it.”

Snowflake stiffened. His skin tingled. That sounded… bad. Real bad. Angosin made the debt to Guild seem like something easily paid. Fair even.

“Is the debt that big of a deal? It seemed fair when I signed.”

“It is not a huge deal if you want to be stuck here in this dead-end place for the next few years,” Honey said, her soft tone turning sharp. “Or if you do not mind having your Source tithed for the rest of your life.”

“That seems a bit extreme,” Snowflake hedged. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust Honey. It was just so sudden, and it was such a big issue, and-

“Believe it or not, it is up to you.” Honey’s tone made it clear what she thought of his hedging. She caught on her next words, perhaps realizing how harsh her last were. When she continued it was in a much gentler tone.

“H-however, I have a solution I would like you to think about. You see, the Stable, one of the Dungeon facilities, offers this game of chance. Most Awakened who decide to Soulbond a companion search the Dungeon for a creature they think suits them. There are various nests hidden in the levels, specifically for that purpose. However, the Stable allows Awakened a single chance to Soulbond a creature, any creature in the Dungeon, at random.”

“And you think it is my best shot at getting strong in time for the test.”

“I do.”

“If it is that great for getting stronger, why don’t you have a Soulbound companion?” He asked the question without malice. His curiosity was an honest one.

“Who says I do not?’ She hefted the twin swords she kept at her side. “In the Dungeon I fought and dismantled a two-headed mechanical ogre. Inside I found twin Steel Elemental Cores. I thought it was dead, but days later it stole the metal in my pack to create a body. I caught it escaping and decided to bond it. It took a full week for an [Enchanter] and [Blacksmith] to forge the Cores into these swords without damaging them. It was very expensive.”

“You bonded with two metal elementals? It’s possible to have two Cores?”

She stroked the pommels of her swords as she spoke. “It was one elemental with two Cores. Stronger than an elemental at the same tier, but weaker than those a tier above. I like to think of it as twin souled. But yes, it is possible to Soulbond more than one companion. It is also possible to have more than one Core.”

“So why doesn’t everyone?”

“I think you can figure it out,” she flashed him a grin with her too-sharp teeth. “Any more questions?”

She was right. The answer seemed obvious now that he thought about it. Having multiple Cores was akin to having multiple Classes. It would spread out and slow down growth, especially if tiers were multiplicative instead of additive. Or, it had something to do with what Mordai mentioned about merging with your Core to become a demi-god. OR having multiple evolutionary paths might lead to detrimental mutations. There were options.

As for having multiple Souldbound companions, that seemed like both a blessing and a curse. Losing a Soulbound companion would probably be painful, crippling even. Not to mention the responsibility of having something depending on you.

Still, he had a few questions.

“What did you mean by a randomly choosing any creature in the Dungeon? How will being Soulbound make me stronger?”

“Exactly that. You chose an egg and bind what is inside. It could be anything from a drake to a goblin. Being Souldbound is sort of like having a pseudo Beast Core. You will gain some of their strength and they will gain some of yours. Most Awakened get a Soulbound companion at some point, the question here is if you’re willing to risk getting one that is less than ideal.”

“If you were in my position, would you?”

“Yes. Yes, I would.”

Once more they sat in silence, their thoughts a million miles apart. The sun rose in the sky, turning the gentle morning warmth into true heat. After a time, Honey spoke again.

“Take the rest of the day off to think about everything. If you have any more questions, feel free to find me or Mordai.”

With that, she left. He sat there for a few more minutes, still processing. Then, he set aside his thoughts, stood up, brushed off his pants, and set out to do something he had been meaning to do since he arrived in this world.

It was time to buy a cloak.