Aias took a long hard look at the fox, he had never seen a fox like this. Its bright golden coat of fur, the sharp red tail. No fox beasts in Antrim had that coloration, no normal foxes either. Aias extended his arm and grabbed the fox by its scruff, held it closer trying to remember if he hadn’t read about it somewhere before. The fox didn’t seem to mind, Aias was only a child just like the little fox, it didn’t feel any malice from him and he didn’t carry any toward it.

Aias though he knew of all the animals in the Goijbi region but apparently this fox was different. Maybe this race of fox hadn’t been found yet and he was the first, either way he wanted to bring it back to the institute.

However along with that though came a wave of disgust for himself. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, it’s family might be close and taking a little child away was not something he was comfortable with.

The little fox started getting uncomfortable hanging by its neck scruff and it made that apparent by whimpering to Aias. He immediately let it down to make sure he wasn’t harming it. When the fox was let down on the ground Aias expected it to run away from him but it instead got closer.

The fox stood with its front paws on his leg getting its head closer to his, in his mind a picture came up. The fox would rip his throat out and kill him, but looking into the little creature's eyes he realizes that this was only a prediction his mind made based on battle. As its mouth was now by his throat it opened its jaws exposing the many sharp teeth in there but instead of feeling a painful bite he felt a gentle lick.

There was no hostility in this fox, it had no wish for his life, it only wanted to show a gesture of kindness, and probably steal some salt from his sweat.

As Aias had rested up enough he decided to go for another jog, the little fox arose to followed him, jumping along the side while he ran. As they ran Aias couldn’t help but wish he could have the fox come with him. Aias just found it so cute, he found weakness lovable, he had always wanted to be strong and protect others. This fox caused all his senses to peak, he felt he had to protect it so he was constantly on the lookout for a stray wild beast.

Because he was constant staying alert it made him run out of energy far faster than before making him only able to run for six minutes without his whole body beginning to scream in pain, he had to sit down and meditate again.

As he readied his mind to enter his conscious the fox laid down on his lap like a little golden furball. Aias gave it a gentle stroke before entering his conscious and searching for his energy again. This time he felt like something was different though, he couldn’t put a finger on what it was but something inside him was different. It only took half an hour to find his core, Aias was happy he had already improved so much, but he still had a feeling something was different, and so he decided to find out what was it that had changed in his conscious.

All the meditation he had done left him with pretty good direction inside his conscious, he began looking for the change and after another hour had passed he found it. There was a second ball inside him. In this second ball there was only one variant of energy and comparing it to his regular core made him realize two things, the energy in the new core could not be found in his old, and it was also a considerably bigger. He had no idea what this could mean. No one was supposed to have several cores, there were those who could separate energy from their core. But he felt this was different, this energy felt foreign as if it wasn’t his own.

Aias wondered how he obtained this little ball of energy, nothing was different about now and the last time he went into his consciousness, he stopped meditating and sat there pondering what could be different. He couldn’t understand what had been different, he had sat in this same spot after exhausting himself. Nothing was different. No something was different, the fox in his lap. Aias stroked the fox and started wondering, ‘could the fox’s core have entered my consciousness’. What type of fox was this to be able to enter other’s consciousness. He really wanted to bring the little fox back now, but even so he simply couldn’t bring himself to potentially take it away from it’s family.

The fox had now fallen asleep making it kind of awkward for Aias, looking at its cute little face made it impossible for him to wake it up and he didn’t want to leave it as he didn’t feel it was right to leave the fox while it was sleeping. Something could happen to it. Someone who didn’t think about its feelings may find it and bring it away from its family.

Aias sat there for another hour waiting for the little fox to wake up. Aias said goodbye to the cute little fellow, this time time the fox didn’t follow him. It was as if it knew he was leaving, it gave him a little howl as a farewell and then ran off into the forest. Aias smiled hoping to see the little fox again. Before he continued going he decided to see if its core was still inside him or if that had also ran away with the fox.

Because only an hour had gone by and not much had happened during that hour, his consciousness was similar to when he left it last. So were the two different cores inside him. Aias became confused, was this the fox’s core or did he just not notice it until now. As he couldn’t understand how this second ball had appeared he decided to simply ignore it until he was better versed in energy control. As of now he had no idea how to control any of the energy inside him so it didn’t really matter if how many cores were inside him.

………..

Aias came back to the institute an hour later than he had anticipated, he was hoping to start attending lessons again but having realized that he didn’t know energy control while his classmates did would mean needing special attention during class, and he felt that was break both his honor and spirit.

However Aias believed there was someone that may help him. He went to the main caretaker building and found the office of uncle Laue. Technically Uncle Laue wasn’t a teacher at the institute but he was the second strongest. He should be well versed in energy control and may at the very least be able to help Aias in controlling the energy inside him. Aias had tried to use the energy of the ball but couldn’t do anything, it just floated there in the vastness of his conscious like a balloon just out of reach.

Aias knocked on uncle Laue’s door and announced himself. It only took a moment before the door was slammed open. “Aias I have been so worried about you” Uncle Laue was basically crying as he hugged Aias, making sure he was alright. “I went to see you earlier but you weren’t anywhere to be found, where have you been?” Aias told uncle Laue where he had gone and what he had been doing the past day. He had decided against telling anyone about the golden fox he found so he left that out, similarly he didn’t want to tell anyone about the second core in his conscious.

“I’m glad your alright, so how has it been going for you, rumors said you succeeded in finding your energy” Uncle Laue was happy for Aias, the fact that Aias was now able to find his energy meant he wouldn’t be sitting outside every day and night.

Aias explained to uncle Laue that he was now able to find the energy in thirty minutes or possibly less, he knew it didn’t sound impressive but to Aias the difference between having to search for more than a day, and less than an hour was something he wanted to brag about. “Oh you sure have improved!” What uncle Laue said may have sounded condescending if said in any other tone than the one he used. He was like a proud father looking at their child winning first place.

Uncle Laue was kind and helping to all children, that was why they all called him uncle. No matter which child it was they couldn’t resist wanting to be praised by uncle Laue.

Aias decided to ask if uncle Laue could teach him the basics of energy control, just so he could come back to class not having to be taught and treated differently to the others.

When Aias asked however he was met with a sad smile, “I’m sorry Aias, I can’t teach you anything, however there are many others who could help you in the institute. I’ll ask someone to tutor you, you don’t have to worry about anything!” Uncle Laue gave Aias a reassuring smile then went back to work, he was sitting behind a mountain of paperwork that surely required him to attend to during most of his days.

Aias was disheartened but he trusted uncle Laue, Aias couldn’t wait to get his new teacher.

………….

During the days of waiting for the new teacher to arrive, Aias spent away from the institute, he didn’t want to meet his classmates yet. Aias continued to train, slowly getting more and more used to finding his core, well cores in this case.

Aias had told uncle Laue that he was going to be staying in the woods while waiting for the new teacher, he had told him around which region he had planned to stay so when the new teacher arrived he could find him there.

Aias had stayed in the woods for five days when suddenly a large man came. The large man looked like an animal. Not as a wild person but an actual animal, his face was that of a ram with large horns growing from above his eyes. He had a thin coat of brown fur covering his body. But his body was shaped like a person's, and not just any person. His body looked sculptured with muscles. He looked truly strong standing tall and mighty. His eyes were also that of a human, pupils round and irises green.

Aias had heard of this man, he wasn’t a teacher at the school but a special protector who worked to make sure beasts didn’t come close to the orphanage, his name was supposedly O’jghar. O’jghar was of a different sentient species than humans known as the Klenod.

Aias hadn’t been taught much about Klenod but knew they are similar to humans with the biggest exception being that their origin didn’t come from evolution but was that of magic. Legend has it that once upon a time there was a god that decided to consummate with animals, their children were the origin of the Klenod race. No one knows if this is their true origin though.

“Boy, I heard you needed a teacher and you had an affection for beasts, will you accept me as your teacher? If you do I will teach you everything you need to know to fight or tame beasts!” O’jghar spoke in a soft and tranquil voice as if he was in a constant dream not being affected by the world around him.

“I only want to learn to use the power in me, I have no special care for beasts in particular. I want to experience combat and for that I have read up on beast as it’s interesting to think of how they would fight and how I would face them” Aias respectfully bowed to O’jghar, “If you would teach me to use the many powers in me i would gladly be your disciple until i turn sixteen, then I must go to explore the world”

O’jghar looked into Aias eyes. Both Aias and O’jghar had clear eyes, clean and serene. “Aias Geno you are now my disciple, until you turn sixteen i will teach you as much as I can”

Aias had gotten himself a personal teacher. That wasn’t something most students of the orphanage had, only those who showed great promise and had a chance to become a squire, or general were accepted into a master student relationship with a teacher. Aias didn’t fit either of those rolls yet, however O’jghar wasn’t a teacher but a guardian of the forests and plains around the institute so he was free to take disciples as he pleased.

“First you must go back to the institute and get your belongings ready. You will live with me from now on, though first I believe you should go to class once more” O’jghar explained.

“Why do you want me to attend class again, and only once more?” Aias asked, he couldn’t understand what he could attain by going to a lecture he didn’t understand. Or train with people he couldn’t match.

“You must gain experience in feeling what it’s like to fight as someone weak. Tomorrow your class will have combat practice, you will attend and try to win whatever fight you are assigned” O’jghar calmly explained to Aias. Their eyes met and Aias could feel the kind nature in O’jghar. He had no reason to decline.

……………

Aias got back to the school late that night, after O’jghar had left had he started meditating then went on a jog and repeated it over and over again. He was now able to find his core even when not entering meditation, however it did take thirty minutes to find it while just walking. As he was now he wouldn’t be able to find it during combat at all, no matter how much time he was allowed.

Aias got everything he had together and packed it into several bags and a backpack. He couldn’t wait to see where he was going to be living. Aias didn’t have a problem with sleeping out, he loved the fresh air and bright night sky, filled with stars. He had gotten used to it from his many nights spent next to Varja.

Aias began wondering what tomorrow would bring, he hadn’t seen his classmates in three month. How would they have changed, how much stronger had they become. He already knew how weak he himself now was, what would he have to do to win?