Aias and uncle Laue came back to the institute late in the day when most of the kids went back to bed. Uncle Laue let Aias head to bed as he and the caravan personnel took care of the beasts.

Before Aias left for his dormitory he went to check on the Kjil serpent. He had been saved by it after all, he felt it was his responsibility to make sure it had been treated. Beasts have a powerful life force compared to humans, some beasts even being able to survive their heart or head being destroyed. Even so a Kjil serpent isn’t very strong and can’t be expected to withstand the harm it was put through.

Aias walked up to the large cage that was used to transport the serpent but the large snake was nowhere to be seen. Aias saw one of the people they had hired from the Harahan beast shop and asked if something had happened to the serpent.

“Ah yes the Kjil, it was getting weaker and weaker from the journey so we had to move it into its new habitat immediately. Don’t worry we are healing it to make sure it doesn’t have any problems in the future” the man answered trying to cheer up Aias as he had heard what the the boy and the serpent went through together.

Aias was glad to hear it wasn’t to badly hurt but still wanted to see it so he asked where its new enclosure was located. After getting directions he thanked the man and went to see how the Kjil serpent was doing.

He arrived at the field the man had specified him to go to. He had been to this field many times during his upbringing, it was used to train knife throwing, archery and any other activity that was required to do over a long distance. But now many large pits had been dug in the field. He came up to one of the pits in the ground. It looked to be around 10 meters in diameter and 15 meters deep, over the pit was a steel grid to make sure nothing could get out. Down in the deep pit laid a large serpent and around the serpent were both guards to hold it down and healers trying to help it.

The serpent was struggling to try and get the guards off it. Every movement from the serpent was like getting pushed by several tons of power but even so the guards managed to hold it down. The serpent was getting agitated and started trying to get its mouth free from the grip of one of the men holding it down. The man was holding on with all the strength of his body, for if he were to let go then no doubt would he die.

Suddenly another hand was laid on the serpent's head, it was Aias hand. The moment the Kjil serpent saw Aias its entire body became relaxed and was no longer trying to resist the guards.

“You can let go now” Aias said to the guard holding onto the serpent’s mouth.

The guard without even realising it let go of his grip and the serpent calmly put its head to the ground beginning to rest.

Both the guards and the healers became surprised. Not at the serpents behavior but that when Aias asked, their bodies felt a natural reaction that what he said was correct. To them it was terrifying, a child could make them react like that.

Aias stayed with them and the Kjil serpent until the healing was complete then went back to his room for sleep.

It had been a long day. Probably the longest day in his life. He had went into the cage of a wild beast, had men trying to kill him, met one of the strongest people in the country, and learned that one of the strongest beings in the world was now very close to his home, the Divine beast.

That night he couldn’t stop crying. Not out of fear for his life, frustration for his weakness, it was out of happines. During his whole life he had never once felt close to death, not once been in a situation he could feel fear during. He had always been protected and sheltered, but not today. He felt now more than ever that this was the life he wanted to live and couldn’t wait to become old enough to leave the orphanage and start his own adventure.

…………..

Aias was awoken from his sleep by cheers as several of his classmates came rushing through the door to his room, they were all eager to hear what he had seen in the city. Leading the class was Jérémie and Midae, they had for a long time been seen as the classes representatives, as they were the strongest. Midae was also the smartest in the class, she often went on meetings for decisions concerning the institute where she would argue with both caretakers and upperclass students.

Everyone sat with expectations in their eyes hoping for a story, Aias could tell that they had already heard something before coming here. Most may be interested in what happens in the city but not to the extent that they would swarm his tiny cramped room.

Aias began retelling the events that had unfolded during the last two days. He didn’t embellish the story with any grandeur as it did by no means need him to. He told the children about the creatures know as Divine beast and how one such being was currently close to their orphanage. All the children could hear on his tone that he was serious, and all shuddered at the thought of a beast so strong.

He told everyone of the fight between the old man and the two men working for Orion. The children all thought of Aias as someone strong so when hearing that he couldn’t even react to their speed they all started to long for the day they could learn energy control.

He showed them the locket and told them everything he had heard about it. Most probably wouldn’t believe him but the kids knew he wasn’t one to lie, especially not to his friends.

Finally he got to the fight between the Kjil serpent and the five men. Several of the kids started to cry or get teary eyed as they heard of the beasts sacrifice. Some in the room had been through situations similar, but in their case it wasn’t a large serpent covering them, it had been their parents trying to not let bandits hurt them. Only because of their parents sacrifice could someone else get there in time to save them.

Aias looked at the many who cried and those who silently mourned, among them were both Midae and Jérémie.

Midae was originally the child of farmers who were raided by deserters after a battle, only because her parents hid her away was she able to survive until a detachment from the army came to deal with the deserters.

Jérémie was a child of nobility whose family oversaw a small town, however one winter the town was attacked by a large force of bandits, they killed his family, servants, and all the other citizens before leaving. Luckily his mother and father were well trained in magic and had a protective field ready for Jérémie to hide in. None of the bandits were able to break through the energy bubble and so they had to retreat before the army arrived, they still hadn’t been caught till this day, they are hunted everywhere for the many inhumane actions they have committed, they are known as The Bitten’s Bone.

Aias reassured everyone that the serpent was healed and was now in an enclosure on the field before continuing his story.

Everyone knew who lord Meleth was, so hearing that Aias had seen his strenght, been saved by him, and even talked to him, was incredible to them. Lord Meleth was one of the strongest warriors in the kingdom, and was in control of a large force which served to protect the large region of Goijbi, where they lived. Many of the children there had been saved by his forces before being brought to the orphanage, to them and many others in Goijbi, lord Meleth was a hero who they looked up to.

When the story was finally finished all the kids sat in awe. It was truly unbelievable how so many things could happen, and that Aias could survive a situation like that. But they all believed in him, for they knew he wouldn’t lie to them.

“You guys wanna go see the Kjil?” After a long pause of silence Aias decided to ask everyone. They all wanted to see the magnificent beast so the class began to move to the fields.

As they got to the field they saw many other kids standing around the many enclosures, most of them had gathered around the Kjils enclosure. “There he is, the one who got into a cage with a wild beast!” one of the kids standing around the enclosure pointed at Aias, the sudden exclamation caused all the onlookers to turn around and see for themselves who it could have been to do something as crazy as going into a wild beast’s cage.

“So you’re Aias huh? I wonder is it true, did you really go into the Kjil serpents cage?” one of the older kids walked up to Aias and the class, he looked mature and was probably around fifteen or sixteen. He had a very snarky and condescending attitude, he appeared similar to the senior a couple days ago who had challenged another student to catch an arrow.

Many of the older students had gotten used to taking what they want with strength through duels, and so those who were victorious often became proud of themselves. The caretakers didn’t care if their attitudes were that of pompous bratts, as long as they had respect during battle, and knew how to handle defeat without shaming their remaining honor then they saw it as fine.

“What you don’t believe me? Want me to prove it?” Aias gave the senior a smug smile as he walked up to the steel grid atop of the pit. “How about we make a bet? If I go in and the snake allows me to pet it, I win. If it attacks me, I lose. How about it?” Aias wore a mocking smile on his face, showing no respect for his senior, and no fear for the serpent.

“Oh and what are we betting?” The senior student didn’t waver before Aias confidence but instead asked what would be gambled with.

“If the serpent attacks me I will die, so of course you’ll get everything I have, meaning you’ll get...” Aias began listing everything in his possession, all the many items that he had gotten from his competitions, explorations of the wilderness, and his latest trip to the city.

Everyone around were surprised by the many items a young boy like him owned and couldn’t help but feel that the senior student would have to gamble on something big.

“That’s quite a lot you own, i remember winning similar things when i was growing up” the senior students arrogance had almost vanished, he now knew that Aias wasn’t just some kid, but still there was no correlation between being the best during training and getting close to a wild beast. “Seeing as you’re also throwing away your life i will put my two greatest weapons in this gamble. I swear on my name Rishi Lowdo that if you aren’t attacked by that snake then you will get my Katra Needle Estoc and Blood Steel Buckler!”.

Katra are large wolfs with a single metal horn coming out of their skull, this horn is what was used to make the Needle Estoc, a weapon made for the sole use to pierce through the hard shells or hardening techniques of monsters. Or in human cases, shields or hardening techniques.

This was no doubt a high stakes bet, the senior had offered items whose worth was so much more than Aias’s that Aias actually began to feel ashamed that he was swindling them off of the senior.

The bet was on, all the spectators were watching as Aias was getting ready to climb down the pit. Many were concerned for his safety, other believed the stories to be true and had faith, then there were those who felt obligated to make sure nothing went wrong so they stood ready to jump into the pit at the slightest hint of trouble.

Aias had climbing down into the pit, he walked up to a large rock where the Kjil serpent was resting on. The serpent noticed him approaching and looked up directly at him. As the snake reacted to Aias so did all the people who were ready to jump to his protection. Their nerves were twitching, waiting for if even the slightest movement of the snake appeared to be aggressive. Even Rishi who was only trying to scare Aias with a high reward but the danger of getting killed by a wild beast was getting ready to save him if the situation came to it.

To Aias none of this mattered, he continued to walk up to the Kjil without pausing, he was finally less than a step from the serpent and extended his hand. Everything was quiet, everyone was holding their breath in suspense. Aias hand touched the head of the large serpent. It could be heard throughout the field, a large gulp from all the spectators, several of the smaller children fainted as their nerves couldn’t keep up with the intense situation. The Kjil serpent finally gave its reaction, it simply laid its head back down and created a little more room on the rock for Aias to lay on.

The crowd was in awe. No one knew how to react to the scene, the only beasts that would acknowledge and understand humans were great beasts and above, but the Kjil serpent was only a wild beast, it shouldn’t have the understanding to allow Aias near it. The only other instance of a wild beast not harming a human who it could easily kill would be if its soul was linked to a human, but this was a newly bought beast who shouldn’t be tamed yet. Everyone watching wondered, how can this be?

Finally the crowds reaction came in the form of a roaring cheer from Rishi, he was clapping his hands while his eyes were crying. Everyone could see he felt great admiration for the bravery of Aias and also the sadness of losing his precious equipment. The rest of the crowd joined in his cheers. Aias standing in the middle of such praise and cheer was overwhelmed and started reddening up. In the end he felt more at ease walking into the cage of a wild beast rather than standing before a crowd praising him.