Shimak bounced lightly on the balls of her feet then launched a kick at at my temple. I twisted my body, my neck bending just enough to dodge the kick before I lashed out with a counter kick aimed at the knee-cap of her still planted leg. The kick was a good one, the muscles in my leg flexing with perfect timing to pour all the power I could muster into my foot as it flew towards Shimak’s knee. Unfortunately, it was just too slow.

Shimak ducked, sinking her body low enough to block my kick with a forearm before exploding upwards. Her right hand shot towards my throat with a knife-hand strike and I raised my left-arm to block while twisting my body to absorb the impact. However, the strike was a feint and while my body was still twisting to the right to block her right hand, her left landed a short brutal uppercut directly in my liver. I doubled over gagging and she raised her right leg high and brought a heel kick thundering down towards the back of my head. Lucky, instead of finishing the strike and knocking me unconscious she aborted the movement and laid her dainty foot on top of my head.

“Better, but you still lose. Your watching my hands instead of my hips. They can faint with their arms but their core will always tell you where they are really going. And your dodges are still to slow. A coordination and flexibility cultivator should be slippery as a wet fish. You should have been able to dodge that strike even if you fell for the feint. “

I groaned as I attempted to keep my breakfast from ending up on the street. After I’d been assigned to the pins my life had fallen into a pattern. I woke up, I went to work, down to the river to cultivate then back to the hut to bed. As promised Shimak had added morning training sessions to the mix and although my improvement was significant It wasn’t enough to make Shimak happy.

“Seriously though, are you really cultivating every night? Even if your cultivation path is as bad as you say you should still be at a higher level than you are. “

“I really am cultivating every night.” I said as I sucked down lungfuls of cool morning air. What I didn’t tell her was that I spent three nights a week cultivating my second cultivation path. Maybe it was childish fancy but I was still holding out hope that it was actually giving me some incredibly powerful benefit and I just hadn’t seen it yet. Still, the reality of the situation was that I wasn’t advancing as quickly as I could be but I was hoping for some future benefits that would out-weight the time I’d put it to cultivating a path with seemingly no upside.

Even over the two month period I’d been seriously cultivating my body had changed. I’d put on some lean muscle and was now a normal looking boy instead of an emaciated one. The cloud of energy in my dantain had thickened and I was stronger and faster, but especially more nimble. My job at the pins was initially dangerous but now I could dodge most of the beasts easily. It had made the place a good deal less dangerous and now I actually had to make work for myself just to wear myself down for my nightly cultivation.

I staggered up from the ground and then looked at Shimak. She wasn’t even breathing hard after an hour of sparring. The girls beast was just too unfair.Her fawn cultivated endurance and it let her work for hours without tiring. I sighed then stood and headed to work while rubbing my soon to form bruise. The boss was expecting me early this morning since we were going to have guests for once.

Our primary role was raising animals for meat but we had higher quality beasts set aside in-case one of the village warriors was looking for a beast to bind. Shimak had told me catching a beast in the wild was better but the upper caste families didn’t want to risk their precious little princes and princesses in the forest so they brought them to us.

This early in the morning it was dark and Judan’s ugly mug appearing out of the darkness nearly made me faint. I jumped nearly a foot causing him to break out into one of his loud barking laughs.

“Awwww, c'mon boy I aint that ugly. You need some steel in your spine. Here eat this it’ll help.” He said as he handed me a grey strip of dried meat while leading me into a barn. I looked down at the meat with a sceptical eye then shrugged and took a bite, or tried to. The meat was so hard I nearly chipped a tooth.

“What the hell this?!” I shouted as the chunk that had broken off sat in my mouth like a stone.

“Shale-hound meat. Good for the bones.” He said as he gave me a tooth rattling back-slap. “Eat up, it’ll put hair on your chest.

I looked down at the meat in horror. Shale-hound’s were rock beasts and their meat, although theoretically edible, was pretty much as hard as stone . I’d heard it was good for you, but it wasn’t anything anyone sane would actually wish to consume.

“Alright midget, we’ve got a bunch a uppers and their little hellions commin’ in. I want you to put on your innocent look and lead them around while they pick something out. “ He said as leaned against a gate.

I looked at him blankly “What innocent look?” I asked baffled.

He snorted. “The one you always use when Aithen catches you looking at her ass when she’s bending over. You know, the one that looks like you're just an innocent little boy, pure as the driven snow and all that.” Aithen was one of the few women who worked the pins. She was as hard and haggard as the men and had a face that would curdle milk, but even years from this body’s sexual maturity, her backside in the leather pants she usually wore to work was a site even I could appreciate.

I looked at Judan as if I had no idea what he was talking about. “Exactly! That one.” He said as he pointed to my face. I scowled and he let out his loud rolling laugh. “Yeah, you might have the others convinced but I know damn well you're a conniving little bastard. You should keep an eye on Aithen too. She’s not as dense as she looks and if she figures out you really are ogling her she’s liable to kick your skinny ass. That or take you home with her.”

I shuddered violently making Judan laugh again. “Yeah, imagine wakin’ up to that. Now get to work. You're in the North barn today so go and tidy up the prime cages. I’ll come get you when the big wigs get here.”

I shuffled off and started my morning rounds. I carried buckets of feed over and dumped them into cages. Then shoveled out manure while dodging the occasional nip. We fed oats for the animals that would actually eat them and and whatever scraps we had for the more carnivorous creatures. Surprisingly, most of the creatures weren’t pure carnivores, which I supposed made some sense. It was impossible to have an ecosystem made up entirely of predators but all of the beasts would eat people, most just subsisted off other things.

It was mid morning when Judan tracked me down. Behind him were three people. The first was a middle aged man with dark blue hair. He carried himself with a noble arrogance. As if he expected the entire world to bow at his feet. His wife was a short-haired blonde nearly as tall as the man who looked in her late twenties, but looks meant little among the higher leveled cultivators. The more powerful the cultivator the longer they remained in their prime. A Mid-Spirit ranked cultivator would look thiry well into her sixth decade and a Sage could live for centuries.

The woman didn’t share the same haughty look as her husband. The clothes she was wearing showed plenty of skin and I could see at least three massive tattoos. One started on her right cheek and ran down her neck to her right shoulder. It gave her a savage sort of beauty, and she had the bearing to match. She didn’t seem to care if the world bent to her will or not. She would just crush it into whatever shape she wanted.

Their general disregard for others was something I knew Judan hated. Normally that sort of casual dismissal would have sent him into one of his swearing fits, but he was on his best behavior today so I bowed deeply with my hands cupped as they approached, taking my cue from him.

“Respected elders, stable master” I said, formally bowing to each in turn. Judan looked over to me and nodded, then spoke.

“Chock, this is Lord Hunan and his first wife. They are here to pick a beast for their daughter. You’ll accompany us.” Judan said in a tone of voice I never thought I’d hear out of his mouth. He almost sounded polite.

“Yes stable master.” I said as I fell into step behind them. The girl who was with the adults looked at me curiously but I didn’t speak as we headed over to the prime cages. She had the dark blue hair of her father and a mature air that was at odds with her childish appearance. This area had the youngest and gentlest animals in it, those least corrupted and most useful for binding.

“So what type of beast are you looking for? We’ve got quite a few lighting types, some flying types, a fire type, and even a plant type. “ Judan asked as we walked by the cages.

“Maybe a plant type...” Lord Hunan said. “Healers are welcome in any family, and that will give her some extra leverage when it’s time to choose a husband.” He said as he looked down at his daughter.

“You're not making my daughter into some kind of shrinking violet. She needs a fire beast. Power is the only way a woman can make a life for herself.” The noble woman argued, her face twisted into a scowl that would flay skin.

“He’sha you said you wouldn’t make a scene. We’ve been over this.” Lord Hunan said with forced patience.

“No, you said I wouldn't make a scene. And I’ll be be damned before I let you crush any hope our daughter has of a real life.” I looked over at Judan and saw him nearly dying with the effort to keep himself from laughing. It was pretty common knowledge in the village that Lord Hunan’s first wife was the one that ran the show. Although, Lord hunan was technically the leader of the faction it was his wife that had the fighting prowess required of the martial nobility.

She’d conned her father, the current Patriarch of the Yokin family, to send an armed escort into the woods for her so she could find her own beast when she was nine years old. She’d managed to find an extremely powerful fire-type lion cub and had bound it. Combined with her love of martial arts and the resources her family had given her she’d been extremely successful in her cultivation and was probably the third or fourth most powerful fighter in the entire clan.

On the other hand Lord Hunan had been the only son of the last Lord Hunan, a powerful cultivator and well respected leader. Unlike his father the son had been only an average talent, but bound to inherit. So the marriage had been arranged granting He’sha the privilege that came with being the first wife of one of the founding families while the Hunas family had gained a fighter with enough power to uphold the family's influence.

The result was that Lord Hunan was mostly a figurehead and a political leader, since his wife was the only reason his family maintained their place among the other noble families. She had little love for her husband and rumor said she often took other lovers.

I just kept my head down and tried to look inconspicuous. Getting in the middle of a husband/wife fight was never a good idea but with the noble families it could easily be fatal. I looked over to the girl with them and had a pang of sympathy when I saw her expression. It was the look of a child who was far too used to her parents fighting. She looked like she just wanted to sink into the floor and disappear.

I caught her eyes and nodded my head towards back down the aisle. She nodded understanding and the two of us snuck away while her parents argument gained volume. After we made it out of earshot I looked over to her and finally spoke up.

“So what kind of beast do YOU want?” I asked her. “I’m sure your parents mean well but you're the one who’s going to be stuck with it so it should be your choice.”

She looked at me surprised for a moment then she spoke up in a small voice. “I don’t know. Mom and dad have been trying to convince me their choice is best for weeks now. Dad wants me to get a plant beast and mom wants me to choose fire.”

“And what do you think about it?” I asked again. Her dark blue hair and ice blue eyes were an odd combination, but I figured she’d be fairly attractive once she grew up. Then again pretty much all female cultivators were attractive. The Earth’s essence fixed most imperfections and made everyone who cultivated seriously into a more perfect version of themselves. I shook off the thoughts and turned back to the girl as she bit her lip.

“It never really mattered much to me. I always figured it most more important to find a beast you matched well with. It doesn’t seem right to try and just buy one like it’s a new dress.” She said finally. “Types and cultivation paths are important but your binding another soul to yours. That’s about as serious a thing as you can get.”

That seemed an entirely reasonable argument are not one that a normal nine year old would have come up with. I looked over at her with newfound respect. She didn’t really seem like the healing type or the straightforward kind of fighter like Shimak that would make a good host for a fire-type. She was more thoughtful, more intellectual. Then it hit me.I did know of a beast that fit her.

“I think I’ve got one you might like. Come this way.” I said as I walked down the aisle. We left the area where the most healthy looking and tame beasts were before we left the North barn all together and headed into the middle barn. We then left behind the normal cages and proceeded to the area with the most sickly and sad looking beasts. The smell here was even more awful than normal and the smell of sickness and death hung in the air.

“I think you want this guy.” I said pointing to a mass of mottled grey feathers. The big eyes and sharp beak of an owl looked out from a disgusting next. The girl wrinkled her nose in disgust and looked at me like I was an idiot.

“Now I know what you're thinking but this guy is special. See, we feed the sick beasts more so that they recover but I talked to the other workers and this guy has been in the sick pins for over a year. He’s never gotten any better but he hasn’t died. Then one day I catch him plucking out his own feathers and running dirt into his own skin so he looks more miserable.” The girl looked at me puzzled, not understanding.

“He’s faking.” I said with a grin. “ He’s purposely making himself look sick to get more food and he’s done it well enough to convince all the caretakers for better than a year. I know owl type beasts are smart, but that's on a whole new level. He’s a little older than most so it’ll prolly be more difficult to bind him, but I think he’ll be well worth the price of admission if you can manage it.” I explained.

She looked over at the pitiful creature again with new eyes. Then grinned. “Alright, if nothing else it’ll make mom and dad furious.” She said with glee.”Not to mention one he grows and evolves I can use him to fly away.” She sat down and started the binding process while I kept an eye out for incoming parents. I’d have to distract them until she was done otherwise they’d probably make her stop.

The process went surprisingly fast. I’d expected the owl to be more than a little recalcitrant but as soon as the girl offered started moving her essence the owl creature threw off it’s acting and hopped towards the girls out stretched hand. It didn’t take thirty seconds before the owl burst into mist and the odd markings started to appear inside the cloud drawing the stylized picture that would become the girls tatoo. A picture of an owl formed the lines and shading giving it an air of nobility that was a far cry from the miserable looking wretch that the bird had been minutes before. When the owl was done forming, symbols and tribal markings started to fill in around it forming a complex series of markings that was much larger and more complex than I’d seen on any starter beast save my own.

“Nessa! What are you…?” A voice started but it was too late. The image shrank then disappeared below the dress the girl was wearing somewhere near her left hip. Then the footsteps rushed over and the shouting started.

“Nessa what have you done?! Sneaking off like that and you went and bound yourself to one of the wretches.” Nessa’s mom shouted incredulously, but her binding had apparently put some steel in the girl's spine because she didn’t flinch under her mother's wrath.

“I asked the stable boy if he knew of any special animals and he brought me here.” The girl lied smoothly.

Thank god she was standing up for me. Things might still go badly for me running off with her but at least now I had the excuse of listing to a noble’s orders. There was no one that could fault me for that.

“What did you bind! What the hell were you thinking Nessa! Your first beast is the most important decision of your life!” Lady Hunan yelled angrily.

“Yes mother your right. It’s MY most important decision. Not yours and not dads and I wanted this one.” The girl shot bank her own cheeks flushing with anger. This sounded like a girl fighting with her mom over her date to prom. I did my best to blend into the background until the sparks cooled.

“And what gods-forsaken creature did you decide on the, young lady.” Her mother asked with her arms crossed over her rather impressive chest.

“It’s a flying type. A lunar-owl I think.” The girl said crossing her own arms in a gesture that mirrored her mother's. “But I don’t think it’s a normal one.”

Her mother's jaw opened in shock and her face redded even further. “Blood and Bile! What would possesed you to bind a flying beast.” Her mother raged.

“I don’t know…..” The girl said honestly as she shrugged. “When I started to use my essence on him he sort of called to me. The tattoo is very intricate. I think he’s special. “ The girl persisted. “You should at least see it first before you decide if you should be mad or not.”

“Well then let's see it.” Her mom said impatiently, as she waved her hand in a ‘get on with it’ gesture.

“He’sha! You can’t expect our daughter to disrobe in front of these peasants! She’s a daughter of the martial nobility. These grubby dirt farmers sully her with their mere presence!.” Lord Hunan shouted, enraged.

“Oh yes, because we wouldn’t want her chastity spoiled.” Lady Hunan said sarcastically. “Then you couldn’t sell said chastity for political favor when she gets to marrying age.”

Lord Hunan sputtered indignantly but didn’t dare oppose his wife directly. After all she was the real power behind the family, not to mention she could kick his ass. I tried to hold in my laughter.

It seemed this world had it’s crazy feminists too. Granted, she had a point about how the daughters of the upper caste were used to curry favor and make alliances but it seemed a little extreme to make her nine year old daughter take off her clothes in a dirty barn in front of people.

Nessa looked at me with a red face and I turned my back to give the girl privacy. Clothes rustled a moment later and silence hung in the air as Nessa’s parents inspected the damage.

“Hmmmmm, That is interesting.” Her mother said in a softer and more thoughtful voice. “Definitely a mutation of some kind. It could have been worse I suppose. Although, I still think you should have chosen a fire beast. We’ll just have to find you one when you're ready for your second beast.” Lady Hunan said from behind me. Her 180o turn around let me know the beast had to have been something exceptional. There was more rustling of clothes and I turned around again.

“Stablemaster! You’ve done well. You should have told me you had something like this on hand from the beginning.” She flicked a hand and two large tokens flew out toward me and Judan. I caught mine and looked down. It was a large ration token, worth 10 normal ones, or two and a half months of normal wages. Then the Lady simply spun on a heel and left without a word to anyone, her husband and daughter trailing in her wake. They weren’t two steps out the door before Judan whirled on me.

“Blood and bile boy! What the hell were ya thinking sneaking off and bringing the girl to see that wretched bird. You coulda got the lot of us killed!” He shouted. I shrugged. Judan was always shouting so his bouts of temper had long lost and effect on me.

“I told you he was faking and they would have been here all day if we waited on those two to end their lovers spat. Besides it ended well and we even got paid.” I said responsibly. My nonchalance seemed to enrage Judan even further.

“Just get the hell outta here before you do anything else crazy.” He said as he waved me towards the door. “And here.” He said as he tossed me the token he’d been given. “It was your idea. You’ve done good work. Even if you are and idiot.” I pocket the money and gave him a jaunty salute as I headed out the door. I was off work early and had nearly six-months pay in my pocket. I could spend the day cultivating and maybe buy myself some cultivation aides with my extra windfall. Today was a good day.

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An: First update in a while!

Been busy on my other project but I'm in the groove on this one for the time being so will prolly have another chapter up in the next couple of days before I switch back.