Bryn's first class had come and gone; his body had mostly recovered after last night’s bouts but his bruised muscles still ached as lionheart pushed them to work harder throughout their first class.

Again and again, he would remind them that they only had a week left until they would risk life and limb to complete their first mission for [Aegis], and that the effort they put in now may be the difference between surviving whatever they had to face and dying on a world on the other side of the galaxy, and in truth, Bryn believed him because he could tell that the man truly believed in what he himself was saying.

That the effort that they put in now, would be worth it in the end.

The only problem Bryn had with this, was that he was questioning whether he had made the wrong decision in the past. Has all the effort he had been putting into one part of his training been a waste of time and should he have focused his attention elsewhere.

Was becoming a Tamer a mistake?

Bryn loved Leena and she had made what could have been one of the darkest times of his life be full of colour, but he feared not only for his life, but hers.

She was but a puppy, too weak and young to help him face the dangers that would be coming for him soon, never mind the dangers that had already found him.

He had barely managed to muddle his way through everything that had happened through sheer luck and the pity of those that weren't completely disgusted by his existence could offer.

Bryn couldn't help but think whether he would have had to go through all that he had if he had chosen a different course, or maybe took Professor Clementine offer up sooner.

The strength the necromancer demonstrated yesterday was something he couldn't ignore.

The difference between what lioness could do with his skeletons and what he could do with Leena was like comparing a mole hill to a mountain, the difference in power was simply ridiculous.

There hadn't been a single instance where Leena or his Taming skills had been of use to him yet and Bryn couldn't help but wonder if things were going to carry on this way, then should he cut his losses and chose another path before it was too late.

He had to learn Spell creation so he could control the seal over his powers, but did he really have to continue as a Tamer?

Bryn was confused about the path that he should take going forward but he also knew that he didn't have the answer, he knew that he needed to speak to someone about all of his worries and his doubts, and whilst he knew he could talk to Armarni and Alexa, he needed to speak to someone with more experience than them, he needed to speak to an adult.

Bryn thought about talking to professor clementine as it was him that was pursing him and offering him help, but then he thought about the warning that Eduardo Espinoza, the first-year head and friend of his father had given him about clementine being dangerous.

He thought for a moment about talking to Espinoza but apart from when he screwed up and either lost control or killed someone, he hadn't actually had much interaction with the man.

No, Bryn decided that he was going to talk to the person that had helped him from day one, not because he sought something or because he had known his parents, but because it is what a teacher should do, and whilst it may look like he was questioning their ability to teach, Bryn knew it was only right to give them a chance to help him with this decision, even if the decision was to in the end part ways.

He was going to talk to Professor Solomon, the teacher that taught the class he was now questioning taking.

Bryn was quiet as Solomon talked to the rest of the class, dividing them into the two different groups as he had done previously, only this time Bryn didn't immediately get up to follow the rest of the class to practising with the jailed beasts, He instead waited at his desk until the entire class had gone their own way, leaving only Bryn and Solomon behind.

Solomon could see that Bryn had something that he wanted to talk to him about but at the same time, he was happy for the chance to speak to Bryn as well.

“Ha-ha Bryn, I heard about your exploits at the pagoda last night, very impressive, but remember, don't let winning go to your head, it’s easy to lose your life in the field if you don't possess the right mindset” Solomon said as he patted Bryn on the shoulder.

Hearing the older man Bryn couldn't help but feel guilty about what he was about to say, he didn't want to do it, to talk about his issues, but he was even less inclined to die because he refused to address them.

“Thank you, professor, actually, the thing I want to talk to you about today is related to my Duel's yesterday” Bryn said with a twinge of guilt in his voice.

Seeing that the thing Bryn wanted to talk about was serious, Solomon decided to knock off the tom foolery and address the matter seriously.

“I'm Here for you son, ask away and I'll do my best to help” Solomon said as he sat on the edge of his desk, leaving the floor open for Bryn.

Bryn stopped and started for a few seconds, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to figure out the correct wording for what he wanted to say, but after a while he realised there was no correct way to say it, so he just did.

“Sir, I don't quite know how to put it, but you know about me wining the duels yesterday, well, I'm worried that I made a mistake”

“A Mistake? In what?”

“In choosing to become a Tamer” Bryn said and the look of surprise on Solomon's face sent a wave of guilt surging through his chest.

Solomon was quiet for a few seconds and Bryn felt the need to speak up so he quickly explained why he felt the way he did, “I mean, it's not that I don't like being a Tamer, I love it! I can't imagine my life without Leena now but I didn't win the fights yesterday because I was a Tamer, if anything, I almost lost them because I was one...”Bryn said and his shoulders began to slump, “...everyone else is getting so much stronger because of what they've learnt at the academy, but I'm barely getting by thanks to being born a legacy, being a tamer hasn't helped me at all! “Bryn said as he let his frustration slip out.

“The people that are targeting me are getting stronger by the day whilst I feel like I'm Falling behind, I worry that one day the gap is going to get so large that they won't need to scheme against me, they'll just walk up and snap my neck!”

Solomon listened to Bryn and couldn't help but feel like he had heard this all before, because he had, there wasn't a semester that would go by where a student wouldn't feel the same way Bryn did, but then again, there had never been another student like Bryn.

He had never had another student so vilified and hated that their survival depended on their personal strength more so than his.

Every Hero risked their life whilst on mission, but Bryn was at risk every second of every day.

“haaa” Solomon let out a deep sigh before locking his gaze onto Bryn's, “If I were to say that you were the first that came to me worried about this exact problem then I would be lying, every year there is a person that feels the same as you and I tell them not to worry, that whilst other classes may have a more immediate effect on their strength, the knowledge and skills that you learn in this class will more than cover the gap created in time, but you, you're different, they don't have to worry about half the things that you do so I'll give it to you straight, A Tamer's Strength can be both rapid or consistent, it is all about the risk that you are willing to take”

“The safe path, the one we teach, allows you to grow in strength and skill alongside your companion, if you don't mind would you call out your companion” Solomon said and gestured with his hand to which Bryn summoned Leena from his.

Leena appeared with a hop and skip before snuggling next to Bryn for a pat and hug.

Solomon gave a brief smile before wiping it away.

“I believe when you last visited the temple you obtained a taming skill; would you mind demonstrating it for me now” Solomon asked and Bryn obliged even though he did not know where he was going with this.

Bryn held his hand over Leena and cast [Zealots Heart], the Coat of arms upon his palm that acted as the bond between him and Leena glowed with power whilst its twin upon Leena fur mirrored it.

Bryn concentrated on the skill for just over a minute before allowing it to naturally drop when he reached his limit, Solomon nodded his head in appreciation to Bryn's effort and skill and motioned for him to stop when he went to try again.

“Do you mind telling me your experience with using this [Skill]?” Solomon asked.

Bryn thought about it for a moment before speaking, “It’s hard...and exhausting, I've been using it at every opportunity I can but it takes so much effort to use and when I do use it, I have keep my complete focus on it or it will fail after a while, and after all that....”

“...And after all that the amount of effect it has had is minimal” Solomon said to finish Bryn's words.

Bryn looked at Leena who was knelt at his feet scratching he ear with her back paw, and nodded.

“It's not easy to tame a creature, depending on the technique being used on them means we are sometimes overwriting their basic natural instincts, it’s only natural that they would fight against it, that is why we have our first years start out using the young as it is easier” Solomon answered to which Bryn nodded in understanding as he could see why things would be this way.

“However, that is not the only way”

“A Tamer can grow rapidly in strength by Taming a fully grown adult, a being that is at the peak of their natural power, only the difficulty of using a taming technique on an adult is several steps beyond using it on a child, and worst of all, if you summon your companion to fight by your side and the Taming is not complete, there is a good chance it will attack you instead of coming to your aid”

Bryn thought on this and thought back to what they were learning to do in class at the moment and things suddenly clicked in his head, “So that’s what we're learning in class at the moment, and the reward”

“Yes, the reward isn't so much as a congratulation's for being able to beat and capture an adult beast, but more along the lines of, you've shown your strong enough to survive and defeat it should your taming ever fail” Solomon confirmed.

Bryn went quiet for several seconds as he digested what Solomon had told him, he was happy for the answers as it helped him make his way towards a decision but it hadn't exactly eased the worry in his heart.

“So, my only choice is to either risk my life to tame a creature that I probably won't be able to truly control until I’m stronger, or hope that when Leena grows up into a tier two beast that her strength is still enough to help me” Bryn said out loud self depreciatingly but his words caused a stir from Solomon.

“Pardon, are you perhaps worried about how strong 'Leena' will be in the future” Solomon asked to confirm to which Bryn shamefully nodded.

Solomon gave a cheeky grin before saying, “Then why don't we have a look then”.

Solomon took off in the direction of the underground training hall and Bryn quickly kept in step, they arrived to the rest of the class practising with their own beasts the same as yesterday, Johnny's group were still next to each other but without Bryn there to laugh at they were actually diligently practising like they should.

“Your Carolina Island Hopper is just one of many that we received from a student that was out on mission recently, some of the ones that we received were fully grown so all we need to do to answer your misgivings, is to have you face them in the arena” Solomon said before punching in some instruction on a monitor before a cage was taken and deposited on the arena floor.

Bryn left Solomon at the side of the arena and descended down the side, he stood at the edge of the barrier for a second to look back at Solomon before passing through.

The arena was quiet and still, he thought for a second that the entire situation was going to be a repeat of what happened with the lizard but just as he thought of it the hound that the cage contained rushed out at a speed that the lizard could hardly match.

Surprised, Bryn instinctively jumped back out of the arena and behind the safety of the barrier, the hound that had rushed him lowering its head and baring its teeth just on the other side.

It growled for a second before it almost smiled, its eyes seemed to be full of devious light and intelligence.

Its atmosphere did a complete one eighty and gone was aggressive beast and in its stead was a playful dog, it left the side of the arena and began to prance around the arena as if it was showing off its might.

Bryn took a second to watch as the large hound jumped and played around in the arena, it may have been seven foot tall on all fours but it was quick and agile, its tail which was long and thick like a dragons followed effortlessly behind it whilst the paddle like limb at the end snapped the air with each flick of the tail.

Its body for all its height was thin, so any thought of riding it like the Heroes he had watched growing up went straight out of the window.

It was fast, but now it was time to test out its strength.

Bryn walked through the barrier and the Island hopper stopped playing about, it growled threateningly at Bryn, warning him to leave its territory but Bryn kept on moving forward, ignoring its warning.

Bryn continued walking forward whilst preparing for it to rush at him again but just as he thought it was about to attack it suddenly started to run away, Bryn moved to close the distance but it suddenly turns back on itself and charged at Bryn head on.

Bryn stopped in his tracks and prepared for its attack, his eyes focused on its sharp teeth and long claws.

The large hound covered the distance in an instant but just when Bryn thought it was going to attack it sped just to the side of him, Bryn followed its tracks and just as it moved past him, he felt the impact to his side and realised that he had made a big mistake.

He had forgotten about its paddle like tail, and Bryn quickly realised that it didn't just look like a paddle, but hit like one too.

*BANG*

A spike of pain immediately flared in his arm and chest, the hit was stronger than even that of Jinho's in the duel the previous night, he was shot across the floor and he was almost certain both the bones in arm and shoulder were cracked if not broken.

He rolled across the floor but the beast was not done with him yet, the island hopper saw that he was weakened and went in for the kill, it lunged towards the still fallen Bryn with its teeth bared to strike, its aim his soft and supple neck.

Only just as it was about to lay its teeth into Bryn's flesh did it see Bryn's desperate slash with his knife.

One of Bryn's arm's dangled limply by his side whilst he held the other aloft with his knife outstretched.

The Carolina island hopper had pounced back at the last moment and it now circled Bryn, looking for the opportunity to strike.

Bryn tried to move towards the edge of the arena but the beast was too smart, it quickly put its body in between Bryn and safety and cut off any chance of escape.

It let out a deep guttural growl as it looked at Bryn as if prey for the hunt, but just as it was about to strike Solomon called out from behind it.

“Alright, that's enough, away with you” He said whilst slapping the hounds rear end, he had somehow arrived without it sensing his approach, it was so shocked and scared by Solomon that it directly leapt away, once it had landed it appraised the new interloper but with a flare of Solomon's aura, the island hopper scurried back into its cage with its tail between its legs.

Bryn watched this all-in amazement but then a flare of pain shot out from his arm, he cradled it within his chest as Solomon came over to help him out of the arena.

“MEDIC!” Solomon called out as soon as they were out of the arena and he gently let Bryn sit on the side whilst a group of medics quickly made their way over to help.

As they worked on his arm and chest Bryn couldn't help but stare at the hound as it played within the arena, sniffling at the sand like any normal dog as it inspected its surrounding now that Solomon had left.

Bryn couldn't believe it, how could a Dog hit that hard and still be classified as a Tier two Beast, sure, he had underestimated it but even the lizard from yesterday hadn't hit as hard as it had.

“That is not a Tier two Beast” Bryn asked out loud as he couldn't believe it.

Solomon nodded his head in agreement with Bryn, but his words were the opposite” I assure you, it is” Solomon answered.

“How can that be, I faced a Tier three Golden manned fire lizard yesterday and even that didn't do as much damage as what that dog did” Bryn complained but Solomon merely chuckled in response.

“Wild Carolina Island hoppers may be strong and smart, but their abilities are limited, they are restricted to close combat and for that reason they are ranked lower than the golden manned fire lizard which has elemental abilities to attack at long range and use in defence” Solomon explained but something in his wording drew Bryn's attention.

“What do you mean by 'Wild'?” Bryn asked and Solomon was both happy and proud that he had picked up on his intentional wording.

“Bryn, our powers as tamers are not just limited to taking what nature has created to use for ourselves, but to take what nature has crafted and improve on it”

“A Wild beast maybe a Tier one creature but depending on the [Skills] that we tamer use to train it, its ranking could be raised several times over!” Solomon said with genuine excitement in his voice, even after all these years of being a Tamer, his passion for it still burned.

“The Golden mane fire lizard may be of a higher tier for the moment, but I assure you, the Carolina Island Hopper's potential rank will dwarf that over grown lizards once you have given her access to [Skills] and [Affinities]”

“So, Leena won't just be as strong as the one I just faced...but stronger” Bryn questioned to which Solomon nodded, “If you train her well, you will never have to worry about her being unable to keep up with your strength...ever”

Bryn grew excited over this and couldn't wait for it to happen, “How quickly can this be done” Bryn asked Solomon hopefully but the older man just shook his head.

“Something like this cannot be rushed, some progress can be made in several months, but true power can only be achieved after putting in years of effort” Solomon explained and he could immediately tell from Bryn's expression that what he said was not what he wanted to hear.

“I Can't wait that long!” Bryn cried out whilst pulling his now recovered arm away from the medics aggressively, the medics looked to Solomon wondering what to do but he just motioned for them to leave.

“You don't know what it’s like to walk through the halls of this school and have people look at you like you aren't even a person, you hear them speak about you as you walk, to plot and scheme about how to either kill you or how to get you thrown out of this school....They think I can't hear them because I don't react, but I do, I hear it all and it scares me” Bryn explained helplessly whilst Solomon frowned.

“Bryn, you are a student at this academy and do not need to be afraid of them, they cannot hurt you here” Solomon tried to reassure him but Bryn scoffed in response.

“Hah, are you kidding me, I almost died within the first week of being here! The only reason that I survived is thanks to you and Leena, if you hadn't been working at the farm that night or I had chosen a different field to study, then I wouldn't be alive right now” Bryn commented but his words drew a smile from Solomon.

“So, choosing to be a Tamer has already saved your life, huh” Solomon said rhetorically but Bryn gave a light chuckle in response to Solomon changing the subject back to the problem at hand.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right, becoming a tamer not only saved my life but gave me the chance to study at this academy, it is the reason that I'm here and why I was able to pass the last test”

“...But that doesn't mean I have to give up my life to pursue it” Bryn said and Solomon nodded his head in agreement.

“No it doesn't, but you have already taken several steps on this path and it would do you more harm than good to change your it now, you've got the potential to become a great Tamer Bryn, I've seen it in how you not only treat Leena, but how think and the effort you put into every class, being a Tamer is in your blood” Solomon answered and Bryn knew he was right, if he was to change his focus now, he would be right back at the beginning, and even then, there was no guarantee that the path that he would choose would give him the strength he sought.

He had chosen to be a tamer because he had been taught how to be one, not only that, he had the talent to become one. If he chose another path now because he was jealous of the strength it offered, there was no guarantee that it would suit him, there was even the chance that whatever he picked would ruin whatever potential as a hero he had.

“So there really isn't a way to became a stronger Tamer quickly” Bryn asked one last time but Solomon shook his head.

“There are only three ways for you to grow stronger as a tamer at this moment in time, allow Leena to mature, tame an adult beast with the added risk of disobedience and betrayal, or expand her Pack” Solomon answered truthfully whilst toggling his fingers at each point.

“Expand her pack?” Bryn asked in faint hope as he had already heard the other two before.

“Carolina island Hoppers are pack hunters, they work as a team to take down larger and stronger prey, I didn't tell you of this before because it doesn't come in to play until Leena has matured” He said and Bryn felt the last flicker of hope extinguish.

Seeing Bryn so down Solomon couldn't help but try to bring him out of his rut, “Say, what build did you have in mind instead of Tamer” He asked inquisitively to which Bryn answered without any forethought.

“...Necromancer”

Solomon appreciated Bryn's answer for a second before expelling his viewpoints on the build, “A Solid choice, Necromancers are notoriously powerful whilst offering a wide variety of summons to suit their casters needs” Solomon said much to Bryn's depression, he felt like the old man was just rubbing salt in his wound through his kind words over what could no longer be.

“However, every necromancer starts out weaker than even your most common mage” He said and Bryn turned to look at him, his eyes urging him to go on.

“Necromancer are very similar to tamers, We use numbers to overwhelm our opponents however, We as tamers take what nature crafted, what is already powerful and use it to our advantage, a necromancer on the other hand has to craft everything with their own hands from scratch, the strength of their summons directly depends on the strength of the [skills] used to create them, if a necromancer does not possess the right skill set, then their summons will be weaker than ever Tier one beasts” Solomon explained to Bryn but his words caused the young lad more confusion than understanding.

“I don't understand sir, I fought Lioness, a student in the necromancy class yesterday, and his summons were not only powerful, but smart too, they could easily take down a tier one beast” Bryn said to which Solomon shook his head.

“Bryn, it is just as I said, a Necromancers Summons depend on the necromancer’s skill set, if his summons were strong, then that just meant that he had strong [Skills]” Solomon explained like it was obvious but Bryn was still confused.

“That can't be true though, Lioness said that he wasn't a part of any faction, that all the power he had was thanks to what he earned in the necromancy class” Bryn explained and it was here that Solomon frowned.

“Ah, I understand what is going on, do you perhaps know who is the current head of the Necromancy Department” Solomon asked to which Bryn nodded.

“yea, it’s John Clementine”

“Correct, now what do you know about him” Solomon asked whilst waiting for Bryn's answer.

“Erm, not much, He told me that he was a friend of my father and offered me a place within his department but professor Espinoza told me that it was a Trap”

Solomon nodded upon hearing Bryn, agreeing with Eduardo's words whilst a look of understanding appeared as well.

“So, this is what caused your doubts, clementine’s offers, well, let me offer you my own thoughts on the matter, John Clementine is a very good professor at this academy, he is powerful, well connected and has ample resources, for each of his students that lack the resources that those that belong to a faction would have, he will provide all that they need to ensure they are strong enough to survive their first mission, but this is not done out of the goodness of his heart, it’s an investment”

“In exchange for these resources, he will own you, you will be a part of his faction until you die, or somehow pay-off an ever-expanding debt”

“And the school just lets this happen?” Bryn asked in confused anger but Solomon just shrugged, “Organisation like this are made every semester, true, it is usually made by students but there is nothing in the school rules that forbids teachers from consolidating power, this is actually how most of the new up and coming organisation in the world come about, they use the connection they forged right here in this academy” Solomon explained.

“As for Professor Espinoza's opinion of John Clementine, well, they were in the same year at the academy alongside your father, and whilst I did teach your father for a single year, I did not know him well unlike your mother, but I knew enough to know that the two did not get along and that for some reason, John clementine resented your father for a particular skill that he possessed” Solomon said and Bryn's eyes narrowed.

'Clementine resented his father for a particular skill he had' Bryn thought about it and there was a good chance that the skill he envied was one that he now possessed as he not only had the same bloodline as his father, but had also accepted the same inheritance as him.

This was probably the reason why Clementine had been pursuing him all this while, he hadn't been able to get the [skill] off his father but now he had a second chance to get it from him.

Professor Espinoza was right, Clementine’s offer was a trap.

The only question he had now was whether clementine was willing to kill him to obtain the [Skill] or whether or not he would simply try to get him into a compromising position to levy against the Bryn giving him the [Skill].

Just as he was thinking of this Bryn suddenly stopped as something Solomon had said resounded in his mind.

“Wait, did you just say you knew my mother?” Bryn asked in stumped surprise and Solomon was only too happy to see it.

“Ha-ha, of course I did, your mother was just like you, from her very first step into the academy she knew she wanted to be a Tamer and my god, was she great at it” Solomon said as he reminisced.

“Juliet had the heart of a tamer, in times of peace she loved her companions like they were true friends whilst in times of danger, she had the resolve to risk life and limb to fight by their side” Solomon said and smiled.

“She had a connection with them, it was beyond what [Skills] and [Ability] could offer, it was instinct for her” Solomon went on as he thought about one of his favourite students, “From day one she absorbed everything that I taught her like a wet sponge, she was miles ahead of the rest of the class and whilst she was kind, she wasn't beyond letting the rest of them know it ha-ha” Solomon said and laughed whilst Bryn listened from the side, his worries gone and a smile on his face as he heard more about the one parent that the world did not hate.

Half of the class passed by as Solomon reminisced about Bryn's mother with him, he told him all types of stories from his past with her, those that were funny, those that were sad, those that were stupid, even the ones where she had done something dangerous and he had to berate her for it as her teacher.

He told him about her first mission but most importantly, he told him about how his father met his mother.

Juliet was a year younger than Ryuto, so whilst he only became a tamer in his last year, she had been there for multiple years and by this time he had picked up the class she was Solomon's assistant and helped with teaching the new students.

Solomon told Bryn how from the very first class the two shared Ryuto was entranced by her and immediately began putting the moves on her with little to no success.

He may have been cool and good looking, but Juliet only had love for her companions, there was no more room in her heart for anyone else, or at least that is the way it was.

It happened on a mission that Ryuto had managed to convinced Juliet to go on with him, it was a difficult one and he wasn't sure whether he come complete it without her help, but even with her help it still went bad and something happened, Solomon explained that he wasn't sure what has he couldn't watch all of his students streams all the time, but after the mission, Juliet wasn't so against the idea of seeing Ryuto in a different light than she had previously. It was only a couple of weeks after that mission that they got together.

The two sat in silence once all that had needed to be said had been said, Solomon was happy to think about happier times whilst Bryn felt a knot that he didn't know was in him come undone. He didn't know much about his mother, his aunt in an effort to keep his identity secret didn't speak much about his parents and as for the rest of the world, they focused on his father due to what he had done.

As far they were concerned, his mother was either another victim, or a person that got what they deserved for being together with a monster.

Safe to say, he didn't have many sources where he could find out about her from and if he was honest, getting to know what type of person she was had fallen to the way side because of learning who his father was, his presence over-shadowed hers, but from listening to Solomon Bryn realised how little he knew about his own mother and he was happily surprised to find out that he was happy when he learnt more about her.

Hearing that she was a Tamer like him made him happy, it made him feel like he wasn't just his father’s son, but his mother’s too.

If he really thought about it, one of the reasons he had been so worried about being tamer wasn't just because he was worried about the amount of power it offered compared to the other possible branches of might and magic the academy taught, but it was because he was so heavily dependent upon what his father had left behind.

Whenever he used the power he inherited from his father, he felt like it was tainted by what he had done, but now, knowing that the decision he had made was the same as his mother, he felt better about it.

He was still worried about the difference in power between him and the rest of the year, but less so now, he thought about the storied of his mother that Solomon told him and decided to have faith in the power that it offered.

It may not be instant, but he couldn't but hope it was worth the wait.

Seeing that Bryn's mood had improved, Solomon decided to offer a bit of advice.

“Bryn, I told you when I first started the course that you would have two choices, you could focus solely on the [Skills] required to advance in the class or you could focus on your safety, obtain [skill]s and [Abilities] that would ensure your own safety but would impact the speed at which you progressed as a tamer, and now I say it to you again, you have to choose between advancement and safety, I can advise you on a number of [Skills] that you could use your winnings from last night to buy that will hasten the path towards being a powerful tamer, but at the same time, you could use them to ensure your own safety and fill in the gap in power you have noticed between you and those in the different courses” Solomon advised.

Bryn thought about it for a moment but he didn't know what to choose. Should he choose short term gain and long-term loss, or should it be the other way around.

“Do you mind telling me about the [Skills] you would advise me to get and I'll make my choice afterwards” Bryn asked and Solomon nodded his head, “That's not a problem at all son”.

Solomon and Bryn spent the rest of the class discuss the [Skills] that he would need to progress as a Tamer, they talked about the positives and negatives, the power that he would gain in the long term over what he would be offered in the short, but even after all that Bryn had no clue which path to follow.

For the rest of the day Bryn was zoned out of the rest of his classes, he held half-hearted conversation and put in the same amount of effort, he couldn't help it as his mind was on other things and people saw this and left him to it.

It was only when he stood in front of the lift pillar of the temple that he firmed his resolve and made a decision.

There was no such thing as half measures in life, especially in his where he walked along a tight rope between life and death.

At the beginning of all this he was questioning whether or not he had made the wrong decision in becoming a tamer, but after speaking to Solomon he realised he hadn't

Being a Tamer is what gave him his opportunity at this academy, it was what his aunt had taught him but more importantly, it was in his blood, it was a part of his mother and now it was part of him, they may not be together now, but they shared this at least.

Bryn was no stubborn fool, if he made a mistake then he would accept it and do all that he could to right it, but becoming a Tamer was no mistake.

It was a decision, and If he made a decision then he had to stick to it.

With that through he passed into the light.

It was time to risk it all.

****************************************************************************

Soon enough a little over a week past.

Bryn and the rest of the first years studied from dawn till dusk, under the supervision of their teachers they practised all that they had learnt and made using the system bought [Skills] feel like second nature.

Their bodies were nourished through their use of mana and they became stronger, faster and smarter than they ever had been before.

They were beginning to look like proper heroes, and now the day had come where they would be put to the test.

The first years had been called to gather at the same assembly hall they had gathered in on their first day, only unlike before, they were not the same children that had just been exposed to a new world and still had fantasies of grandeur, but students of the academy that had realised the world for what it was and the danger they now faced.

Some were still excited and eager in anticipation, but the majority were anxious and worried about what was to come.

Bryn felt like he was back in high school, waiting in the hall for an exam that he hadn't prepared for to begin, his stomach was empty and he felt sick, he may have been fearful of actually throwing up if he hadn't already thrown up everything he had eaten for breakfast already.

Sat by his side was Armarni and Alexa, unlike him they were handling the situation quite well.

Armarni was his same laid-back self as always, he was in fact so laid back that he was using the entire situation to his advantage as he spoke cool and confident words from his silver tongue to the nervous girl who sat next to him.

Alexa on the other hand was one of the few that were raring to go, her excitement was palpable and the toothy smile she wore never left her face.

She kept saying that 'she couldn't wait to serve'.

Around the room he could see some of the people that he had met over his time at the academy but none he would consider friend, the people from the different classes he took, the teachers waiting on the stage.

He even saw Johnny whose life he had saved, not that he ever acknowledged or thanked him for it.

At least he or his friends never bothered him after that day.

Bryn looked around and saw everyone that he had met at the academy and couldn’t help but compare how they looked now compared to the past.

Some of them had arrived at the academy looking like the knock off versions of the Heroes that they aspired to be whilst others had arrived bare and with little to no gear of their own.

Now they had taken their first steps to becoming the Heroes they were meant to be, some lost the gimmick like look they were going for in the effort to aim for practicality, whilst others picked one up following the suggestion of what they had learnt in tactics in an effort to gain more followers.

Bryn had taken the practicality route and still wore the same uniform he had been given when he had arrived at the academy, only with a few additional extras he had obtained over the last week.

Following his previous success at the pagoda Bryn had visited it a few more times, but unlike the first time he had no [Token] to bet as he had used them all over a week ago and no one was willing to put up the [Tokens] for him and be taken for a fool like Harmony had.

Armarni had said that he would spot him but Bryn didn't want to take advantage of his friend, so whilst Bryn won some and lost others, he only used the expendable gear he had on hand or bet the odd Hero point when he didn't have any gear, he was willing to risk losing.

He won some and lost others, none of the fights were as dangerous or as hard fought as those that he faced on the first visit, they were more clear cut and besides, Bryn didn't mind losing if he knew why he lost, because if he knew why he lost then he could learn from it so he never lost again.

It wasn't a concept that came easy to him but it was something he and the rest of his class learnt after professor Kane beat it into them, as he would remind them about it every day in class.

Now though, the time for practice had come to an end, it was time for the real deal to start.

The Student that had gathered for the assembly now only waited for the headmistress to arrive and with a flutter of her wings appearing in the window and the gust of wind it caused, she passed through the doors to the halls and strode down the aisle to the podium that waited atop the stage.

She turned on her heels and looked down at her students below her, she looked at each of their faces, trying in earnest to remember each and every detail but she knew that she would fail, there would always be those that faded from her memory, but never the ones that she lost, those that failed what came next.

No, she never forgets them.

“We are gathered here on this auspicious day because it is time for you heed the call, you swore an oath to [Aegis], the avatar of the [Guardian System], that when those that were in need called out for help, you would answer”

“Now the call has been made and it is time for you do your duty”

“Out there you may face all manner of monsters, be called to judge them for their sins, but remember that you are not alone, that we are here, waiting for you to return safe and sound”

“So, I tell you this, prove your effort has not been wasted, that the blood, sweat and tears you have put in over the past few weeks has not been in vain, that your dream of becoming a Hero was more than that just the fantasies of children”

“If I could give you one last piece of advice then it would be this”

“Do not hesitate!”

“No matter what you are asked to do, who to save or who to kill! Do not hesitate, for it is that which kills the most”

“PARA BELLUM!” She called up with her fist raised into the air.

“DET ILLIS INFERNUM” The students called out in response as they rose from their seats and mimicked raising their fists.

The principal looked down on them and smiled.

“Good luck” She finished and the doors to the assembly hall flung open.

Bryn joined Armarni and Alexa with the rest of the students as they filed out of the hall walking side by side, three people to a row.

Bryn left the subtle shade of the hall and had to resist from blocking the bright light of the sun as he emerged outside, and he was glad he did, it was probably best not to embarrass himself in front of the entire academy, and from he could see, they were all there. Lined up along the path that led to the temple was every student, every teacher and even all of the members of the Black Rose guild gathered in full regalia.

They were there to honour the next generation as they headed towards their first battle.

Under the eyes of his seniors, Bryn walked along with the rest of his year, he was worried that they would pull him from rank as they would refuse to give this honour to a demon spawn, but none even looked at him askance.

In this moment and this moment only... he was one of them.

The parade of students lasted for several minutes, ending with them steaming into the tower of light at the Altar, but the honour procession did not end there, active members of the guild lined the neo-Gothic halls of the Stellar-Rose, going all the way to the guild hall where their missions hung ready to be selected.

One group after the other entered the room and chose their mission before leaving under the rhythmic drum beat weapons pounding on stone.

As a final group left the hall it was time for Bryn and his companions to enter, with a deep breath and a reassuring nod to the only friends he had made at the academy did Bryn enter.

He made his way over to the quest wall and did as he was instructed, his placed his hand against the metallic surface and was immediately met with three windows.

These were the mission [Aegis] had selected for him to pick his first mission from.

One of these missions was the missions he would either complete or die for.

Race to Wolf Mountain

Rank: Common

Type: Time Attack

Local Language: Galactic Standard (English)

A call for help has been made by those in need, Bandits have attacked a village and taken several young females’ prisoner when they retreated.

Pass

Rescue those taken from the village and return them safely before they are killed by their captors

Bonus

Ensure the village is no longer threatened by this group of bandits.

Fail

All of the taken women die (T- 0D 6H 0M)

Reward

500 HP

Expiration: 12D 16H 47M

Willow Creeks Plight

Rank: Common

Type: Base Defence

Local Language: Galactic Standard (English)

A call for help has been made by those in need, A village is facing an imminent attack and is requesting aide to ensure their survival.

Pass

Prepare the village for the attack and successfully repel the aggressors with minimal loss to life.

Bonus

Minimal Damage to the village and its people will ensure a greater reward

Fail

All the residents of the village are killed during attack

Reward

500 HP

Expiration: 7D 18H 09M

Village of the Damned

Rank: Common

Type: Escort

Local Language: Galactic Standard (English)

A call for help has been made by those in need, a young woman and her friends are trapped by those that have succumbed to the lies of that which dwells beyond the breach.

Pass

Escort the VIP (Cordesh Navi) to safety

Bonus

An additional reward will be given for each additional innocent saved

Fail

VIP (Cordesh Navi) fails to reach safety and Dies

Reward

500 HP

Expiration: 0D 1H 27M

It was a hard choice to make but Bryn had been taught to pick the mission that best fit his style of fighting.

For escort and base defence mission he needed a defence focus build whilst the time attack required him to be fast and attack orientated.

So, by going with that logic he should choose the mission ‘Race to Wolf Mountain’, However there was something that did not sit right with him.

It was the expiration date on the missions.

Bryn had learnt that each mission on the guild wall had an expiration date, this was because the gods that sought there help for their people lived outside our realms rules of time and space, they could perceive a moment that happened within world for weeks on end but they were not omnipotent, there was a limit to the degree in which they could meddle with time, and it appeared that one of the mission he had been offered was about to expire.

What this meant was that there was a good chance that if he did not accept this mission now then no one ever would.

It meant leaving those that called for his aide to die.

Bryn knew which mission he should pick, the mission that the academy would advise him to take, but it wasn’t what he was going to do, he wasn’t start off his life as Hero by letting those that he could save die.

No matter what he had been through in the past few weeks, he had been raised better than that.

He was a Hero now and it was time to act like one.

You have accepted the mission “Village of the Damned”

Bryn grabbed the mission plaque and left the hall, he headed towards the launch hall where he would transported to the mission’s destination.

When the others had the hall the seniors of the guild had been cheering out for them, they clanked their weapons and told them they would be okay.

For Bryn, it was silent.

He passed the halls by himself, Armarni and Alexa having already gone ahead.

Bryn was alone with his thoughts now and all that he did in them was review that he had everything that he needed to get the mission done.

With a quick call, his status appeared in front of him, listing all that had changed in the past week, the new skills that he had bought, the weapons and armour he had either won or changed out.

For all intents and purpose, what was on the screen represented him in his entirety.

General Information

Name:

Gideon Bryn Lockhart

Sex:

Male

Age:

16

Species:

Hybrid [+]

Mana Attunement:

Eldritch [+]

Hero Rank:

Copper

Titles

Status

Soul Corruption [+]

Mana Deprivation [+]

45%

Bloodline Seal [+]

Mana Seal [+]

31%

Currency

Hero Points: 450

Tokens:

Emblems:

Tier one:

0

Tier one:

N/A

Tier two:

0

Tier two:

0

Tier three:

0

Tier three:

0

Tier4:

0

Tier4:

0

Tier 5:

0

Tier 5:

0

Tier 6:

0

Tier 6:

0

Tier 7:

0

Tier 7:

0

Tier 8:

0

Tier 8:

0

Tier 9:

0

Tier 9:

0

Tier one0:

0

Tier one0:

0

Bonds

Leena (Carolina Island Hopper)

Hopper (Carolina Island Hopper)

Skill Set

Techniques

Name:

Level:

Mastery:

Name:

Level:

Mastery:

Galadhrim Bow Arts [+]

Novice

90%

Galadhrim Knife Arts [+]

Intermediate

40%

Galadhrim Kiting Technique [+]

Intermediate

21%

Galadhrim Rangers Companion [+]

Intermediate

18%

Akashic Runes

Novice

7%

Passive

Name:

Mastery:

Progression:

Name:

Mastery:

Progression:

Greater Physique [+]

N/A

N/A

Monocular Vision [+]

Novice

0.00%

Greater Sight [+}

Novice

0.00%

Spectrum True Sight [+}

Novice

0.03%

Mana Flow

Novice

21%

Mana Body

Novice

11%

Water Affinity [+]

N/A

N/A

Ice affinity

N/A

N/A

Active

Name:

Mastery:

Progression:

Name:

Mastery:

Progression:

Bond [+]

Intermediate

24%

Reapers Touch [+]

Novice

18%

Ethereal Chain [+]

Intermediate

12%

Impart [+]

Intermediate

11%

Zealots Heart [+]

Intermediate

16%

Reinforcement [+]

Novice

27%

Mana Manipulation [+]

Novice

31%

Mana Root Seal [+]

Novice

24%

Aura [+]

Novice

6%

Mana Boost [+}

Novice

18%

Mana Bolt [+]

Novice

25%

Beast Transmutation [+]

Intermediate

0%

Ice Beam [+]

Intermediate

9%

Identify [+]

Intermediate

7%

Armoured Uniform [Tier two]

Cloth Armour (set)

Cloth Armour Designed In the form of the Black Rose Academies Uniform.

Designed to defend against any attack Tier two and Below

Abilities

[Self-Repair]

[Self-Clean]

[Toughness]

Nova Tech Under Armour [Tier three]

Cloth Armour (Jump suit)

Skin Tight Cloth armour made from high tech materials, designed to be worn underneath everyday clothing or armour, made as a last line of defence against attacks whilst increasing wearers physical ability.

Designed to defend against any attack Tier three and below

Abilities

[Self-Repair]

[Self-Clean]

[Toughness]

[Lesser physical enhancement]

Reapers Inheritance [Tier 7]

Gauntlet

Designed to pass on the inheritance of the being known as the Grim reapers.

Due to materials used in items creation, no attack below Tier 8 has any effect on Gauntlet.

Abilities

[Grant Bloodline – Oni]

[Inheritance of the Reaper]

[Soul Reap]

[Limbo]

Tekko [Tier 2]

Gauntlet

A Standard Gauntlet enchanted with the offensive skill [Power fist]

Abilities

[Self-Repair]

[Toughness]

[Power Fist]

Cloud Chaser Boots [Tier three]

Fur Boots

Boots made from the fur of the Cloud Chasing Hair.

Designed to increase the wearers natural speed whilst providing defence against any Tier three attack and below due to the materials used to craft item.

Abilities

[Air Step]

[lesser Agility]

Inheritance Grimoire [Item] [Tier one]

Book

Grimoires can be found on most planets with beings that have access to mana, this version of a grimoire has been created by the system by drawing on the different version of Grimoires available throughout the known realm.

Abilities

[System link]

[Life-bound Inventory]

[Enhance Learning]

Rouges Spatial ring [Item] [Tier two]

Ring

A low tier spatial ring that contains a limited stable space of 4 x 4 x 4.

Gnomish Scouts long knife [Tier two] x two

Long Knife

The favoured blade of the Gnomish Scout, used when an enemy enter close combat.

Blade is enchanted with [Enhanced Cut]

Able to pierce through low quality tier two Defence

Modified plasma pistol [Johns] [Tier three]

Hand Gun

A standard plasma pistol modified by novice engineer. High energy bullets intended to stun or kill depending on which setting used. Highly effective against beings without the ability to use mana.

Plasma battery will recharge so long as it retains a charge.

Able to penetrate through low quality tier three Defence

Aries mk5 Pistol [Tier three]

Hand Gun

A standard plasma pistol used by the Aries group. High energy bullets intended to stun or kill depending on which setting used.

Plasma battery will recharge so long as it retains a charge.

Able to penetrate through low quality tier three Defence

Emergency Stim [Tier one] x 5

Med-Pen

An emergency Stim filled with a Tier two Health potion.

Highly Effective on Tier two life forms and below

Barrier Charm [Tier three] x two

Ornament

A charm that erects a onetime use barrier that protects if wielder from all threats Tier three and below

Detoxification Charm [Tier three] x one

Ornament

A charm that purifies the host body of [Poisons] and [Venoms] for a short time when activated

There were things that he liked about what he saw and other things that he didn’t.

He was happy that recognised his foolishness for not spending as much as he should have on gear when he first visited the system shop, He had been too cheap and greedy for the skills that the inheritance offered and wanted to keep as many Hero points to buy the materials the skills required as soon as possible.

It was only a after a number of Duels that he realised it didn’t matter whether he had the Hero Points or not if he was dead.

Bryn was unhappy about his progress with Akashic runes, he had studying daily but he still wasn’t able to form a control on his own, due to this the seal would have to remain at what its currently and hopefully he won’t need to change it.

It didn’t matter if he lost a bit of control if his life was on the line.

Another thing he had a problem with was the speed at which his [Aura] Training progressed, it was perhaps one of his most important skills, being able to both increase his attack and defence significantly, and yet he had made little to no progress with it due to his seal preventing him from fully activating it.

He knew he had no control over it but it was still a sore spot when he saw the rest of his class grasping it so easily.

As for the new skills he had bought with his winnings from the duel, he was very happy with his choices even if he hadn’t actually had the chance to use one of the yet.

Bryn kept moving and quickly reached the launch hall, it had a windows gallery which showed the stars above and a spear like gun that aimed at them, directly below it was a platform where a Hero would be bathed in light and shot from the spear towards their intended destination.

Bryn was about to move over to it when he heard something from the side which he had never expected in his wildest dreams.

There were people calling out to him, wishing him luck and all the best on his mission.

It was Solomon, Blackwell and Espinoza.

Bryn couldn’t say he wasn’t touched by their action because he was, throughout the entire procession he had watch as people that stood by the side called out to their family and friends, wishing them luck and giving them advice, showing them that they cared, but nobody had called out to him.

He thought nobody cared, but they did.

Bryn walked into light of the launch pad and raised his fist into the air.

“Para Bellum!” He called out and they responded in kind “Det Illis Infernum!”.

With those words said he dropped his fist and caressed the pommel of his knives, the light flashed and he was gone.

Bryn opened his eyes within a different room to the one he was just in, gone was neo-gothic stone and in its place was handcrafted wooden furniture, most of which was stacked against a door in which a man was holding it closed with all his strength, but the creatures on the other side seemed determined to get in.

Two others were sat against a wall with bloody wounds barely begin kept stable by a young woman whose hands glowed in a soft light.

A Girl with long hair was rocking back and forth in the corner, soft nonsensical murmurings escaping her lips whilst she held her head in her hands.

The last member of the room was the girl in front of him, she knelt next to a summoning ritual made of candles and glowing runes carved into the floor that went all around him.

A look of hope and desperation on her face, she pleads… “Help us”

Bryn pats her on her head as he walks past her.

“That’s what I’m here to do”