When Fen exited the barracks, he found someone waiting for him at the gatehouse: A somewhat older half-elf in a posh brocade jacket with the baron’s colours stood by the side of the road, looking over. As he passed the gate guard, the man, who Fen now recognised as the baron’s steward, called out to him: “Mr Draelgar, a moment of your time, if you please?”

Fen stepped closer. “Good afternoon, Sir, and of course. I must say, I didn’t expect to see you again this soon, but you’re still a welcome sight. Is this about the recent… incident?”

“You seem quite well for a man that was nearly trampled by a beast”, the steward said, smiling. “But no, it is actually a different matter. I’ve a message from his lordship.”

“A message? How come his lordship sent you out? Surely a regular errand boy would have sufficed to deliver a note?”

“Errand boys can gossip. This matter was asked to be kept under wraps”, the steward explained. “His lordship asks that you return with me to the castle. There is a matter he wishes his gamekeeper to weigh in on. I cannot say more, for the streets have ears.”

“I see. Well, I shall be right over. I need only inform my wife first, lest she get worried about my absence.” Today really turned out to be one of ‘those’ days… First the whole incident, then his rapid appointment to barony gamekeeper, followed promptly by a meeting in the guard barracks, and now the second task at his new job. Could he really not catch a break today?

Thankfully, the steward was helpful in this matter. “That is not necessary. I went to your home first to see if you were there, but the Madame informed me of your whereabouts, so I told her that you are needed again and to not expect you back for a bit longer.”

“Right. I was about to ask how you knew that I was here. Well, Sir, let us hurry back then. Although, I’m surprised that his lordship would ask me to go back so soon. Did something change in the short time since I left?”

“In a way. Also, I believe that we can do away with formalities seeing as how we’ll be dealing more with each other from now on. Please, just call me Irfil.”

“In that case, I'm Fen. Need I bring anything along for hunting? I left my bow at home.”

“It is nothing dangerous. I believe your experience is needed for… no, let us discuss the matter in private.” That was the end of that conversation, and Fen wiped the sweat off his brow as they took the gruelling trek back up the hill, into the castle, and to the baron’s quarters. As they arrived, Fen quickly understood that the steward’s call for discreteness was just the start of the secrecy surrounding whatever matter he’d been summoned for.

They entered a sizable guest room, which was hard to recognise as such at that moment. The bed, table, chairs and even the rug on the ground had all been pushed against the walls to make space. The room thus freed up was occupied by a large black dome so big that it nearly reached the ceiling. It looked a bit like an agitated night sky with flickering lights and swirling shapes on it, but Fen could not see through it. At first he thought there were moving figures inside, but he soon realised that they were actually reflections of Irfil and himself.

Irfil had meanwhile closed and bolted the door behind them. “It’s a [Concealment] spell”, he remarked, “to avoid prying eyes and ears.”

“This must be quite important if his lordship is going to that length to protect the secret.”

“It is. Go on in.”

Fen hesitantly stepped forward, first reaching his hand out to touch the spherical surface, but finding no resistance. He poked his head in and was met with several people looking back at him: a guardsman, a man he did not recognize, but who was wearing the worn-out linen of a labourer, and most importantly his lordship, the Baron, still wearing the same scarlet tunic that Fen had seen him in earlier, when he had accepted his offer. The court wizard was also there, sitting on a chair with his back turned to Fen. Based on the column of black mana flowing from his hands, Fen could guess that it was him who held up the spell.

“Come in, Draelgar”, the baron said, waving his hand. “The magic is harmless.”

The inside of the spell looked quite different: the black surface was almost transparent from this side, only tinting the guest room slightly darker. He could see and hear the steward walking around outside the bubble without any issue.

“Mylord summoned me?” he asked with a bow.

“I have. Tell me, Draelgar, how long have you lived in Silverrock?”

“Ever since I was born seventy-two years ago, mylord.”

“So you had plenty of time to learn about the more exotic corners of this Shard, right?”

“I would not say I am intimately familiar with the farthest reaches of the Shard, mylord. My expertise lies in the forests surrounding the lake, but I’ve little clue to what manner of creatures reside in the lake itself, or in the underground depths.”

“Hm. What do you make of this?”

As he said that, the baron motioned towards a square piece of furniture, likely the guest room’s bedside table, that had been placed in the middle of the room. On it, sitting on an open leather bag, was an oval item coloured like a blueberry with a few streaks of light brown in erratic lines across its surface. It was big enough that if hollowed out, one might fit a two-year-old in it.

“Well, mylord, it looks to me like a monster egg.”

The baron stroked his thick lumberjack beard as if it helped him think. “I thought the same. But what monster is in it?”

“May I?”

The baron made an approving hand motion. Fen stepped closer and picked the egg out of the bag with some effort - it was as heavy as he’d imagined. He turned and examined it a few times, looking for any identifying signs. Then he set it back down and put both hands on its smooth surface. “Let’s see here... [Inspect]”, he said.

[Status (???)

Race

??? [Monster] [Wyrm]

Level

Egg

Skills

Hatch (2) Impenetrable Shell (3)

[Your target is not an [Animal]. [Inspect] can only return limited information]

With a heavy sigh, Fen placed the item back down and pulled his hands back. “I can confirm it to be a monster egg, it is… hard to say what type. My [Skill] is not suited for monsters.”

The baron stroked his beard again. “Can you tell what race it is?”

“Unfortunately I cannot. Because my [Inspect] doesn't let me peer into the egg’s contents, I could only glean information from the egg itself. Perhaps a [Monster Tamer]...”

“Nobody in Silverrock has a [Skill] to appraise the egg’s occupant, I’ve already had that verified. So you don’t know anything about it?”

“Actually, mylord”, Fen said, glancing over at the unmoving item, “I made a few discoveries. The egg bears the [Monster] and [Wyrm] types… and I can see that it has [Hatch] at level two, and [Impenetrable Shell] at level three.”

“You can see its [Skills]? That’s already a step forward. And you say it has [Impenetrable Shell]? Are you certain it’s not just [Shell]?”

“Completely.” He turned to look at the traveller, almost certain as to what role he played in this, and asked: “Where did you find this?”

“Not far removed from the city, sirs”, the man replied, crumpling his cap between his hands. “Just, uhh, at the edge of the forest. Yesterday, I did.”

“The edge of the forest? That’s odd”, Fen murmured.

“What do you make of it?” the baron repeated his previous question.

“If you’ll forgive my rambling a bit, your lordship… This egg has the [Wyrm] type, which narrows down the range of creatures that could have laid it by a considerable amount. Most of the [Wyrm] type monsters here in Greenlake are fairly weak common creatures, like the River Serpent. While they all are egg-layers, not many lay eggs that have [Shell], and even fewer with [Impenetrable Shell]. So the most likely suspect is Diamond Crocs.”

He glanced up. The traveller looked puzzled, so he explained: “They’re an evolution of Crocs, a type of large scaly reptile monsters that live along the Greenlake shores. They have the [Wyrm] type and while I am not certain, I do believe that Diamond Crocs lay eggs with [Impenetrable Shell], a [Skill] that hardens the egg's outer shell, as its name implies... a good protection against Giant Snakes and other egg-eating creatures in Greenlake.”

Fen took a moment to check that his audience was still following. Seeing the baron look up with a pensive frown, as if to ask why Fen had gone silent, he continued: “What makes me wonder is why this egg was found so far away from the water… Crocs lay their eggs in nests on the shore, not in the forest. And they certainly don’t abandon them out in the open. Also, just to be thorough, I will say that there are two other suspects: the creatures dwelling deeper in the Greenlake waters and the ones from the underground. But those are, as humans say, shots in the dark. I do not know what monsters inhabit those areas.” He glanced at the traveller. “Not that I doubt your claims, but… mylord, may I speak to you in private?”

The baron made a hand motion towards the guard, who then escorted the man out of the bubble. He seemed quite happy to oblige. Once they were outside and could not hear him, he said: “We have already verified that he is speaking the truth on the matter of the egg and where he found it.”

“A fair distance from any hatching grounds we know, then… and far from the water.”

"It’s as though it was meant to be found. What do you think, Draelgar?”

“It’s not likely that the egg came from a deep-water clutch and to the surface, and even less so that it somehow found its way up from the caverns. So unless it was brought up and then abandoned, it’s most likely a Diamond Croc’s egg, maybe taken from its nest by an egg-eating predator that couldn’t crack the shell and abandoned it. If that is what it is, it’s fairly valuable. Diamond Crocs are not without fault, but they’re among the more powerful creatures found on this Shard. I believe that a [Monster Tamer] with such a beast would be quite powerful, if they can control it.”

“And what are your worries?”

“Mylord?”

“I can tell that you have reservations. It’s written plain as day across your face.” For a moment, Fen saw the slightest smile as the baron’s lips curled upwards behind his beard, then it was gone. “I need your honest opinion, Draelgar, not boot-lickings and affirmations. I might ask that you keep things more subtle in public, but we are behind closed doors here, so don’t feel obligated to be polite, and tell me the unmitigated truth.”

“I… certainly, Mylord, I will try. Well, one of my worries is that we have no idea what is contained in the egg. What I proposed about it being a Diamond Croc egg is my best guess, and if nobody can verify the egg’s contents, it’s just that: a guess. Then there’s the egg’s third-level [Impenetrable Shell]. That hints at a strong set of parents, so it would take an experienced tamer to command the creature. Or perhaps the creature inside will be unable to hatch due to the shell being too hard for it to break out. Then it dies inside it, and the egg is all but worthless. It’s a gamble, mylord… that is, if I am correct in my assumption that you want to purchase the egg and present it to someone you intend to knight.”

“Hm. You’ve a sharp mind, but you are not quite on the mark. I trust you are aware of my children?”

“Of course! Your lordship even hosted two grand celebrations when Brita and later Candace were born. I vividly remember both.”

“Hm. Brita is already accounted for, but I intend to have Candace become a [Monster Tamer] and help with bringing the Greenlake monster population under control. The lakes in particular are a concern; we do not know what monsters live in them and how many there are, or what they are capable of. Further, Silverrock would benefit from being able to fish safely. So a water-dwelling monster would be an ideal first familiar.”

“Mylord, aren’t your daughters a little young yet?”

“They’re not that young. Brita is nine and Candace will have her seventh birthday soon.”

Even for a human lifespan, that wasn’t much, thought Fen. But he chose to word his answer more diplomatically. “Is it not sensible to wait until the usual twelve years of age before presenting either of them with their first Boss? I assumed that you would intend to knight a [Monster Tamer] for a more immediate result. And if it is really a Diamond Croc, it shouldn’t be entrusted to an inexperienced tamer.”

The baron smiled again. “That is why the position you now hold is not just ‘gamekeeper’, but huntsman and gamekeeper, Draelgar. I need someone who will level them up via party EXP sharing. Brita has a different route set for her, but Candace will become a [Monster Tamer]. As for the egg… a newly hatched monster will be easier to tame than a grown member of its species.”

Fen shuddered. Though he was not privy to the details of this process, he knew that there were ways to guide the development of children and spend their [Skill Points] for them, usually via a [Mentor]-type [Skill]. But people with those [Skills] were very expensive to hire.

The first Boss was the easy part for someone like the baron: he could spend some of his wealth to hire a band of mercenaries, or go out with his daughters himself, to kill one. High-level adventurer parents often did this to level their children up. In this case though, it seemed that the baron was going to task Fen with that. Well, probably not by himself: it was a death sentence to send out an Unawakened or low-level child with only one person for protection.

The thought what would happen to him if something happened to Candace while he was meant to powerlevel her made Fen shudder, but he understood that the baron was not going to take overly big risks with one of his two children. He would most likely work together with other people to keep Candace safe while they hunted big monsters and got her levelled up. It would never be risk-free, it never was when it came to monsters, but the baron's plans were well-intentioned. He was setting his children up for a very successful life by having them train from a young age.

“I see… still, there’s no guarantee that this gamble will pay off, mylord. The egg could be a dud, or hatch an aquatic monster that will not serve you well here on land.”

“That is a risk I’ll have to accept. Do you know how long the egg will take to hatch?”

“That I cannot say for certain. However, if I remember correctly the [Hatch] [Skill] indicates that. It levels up at a set pace and the egg will hatch when it reaches level 10.”

“Very well… I would have you examine the egg every day from now on, see if we can’t make out the timing at which the levels tick up. Thank you for your aid, Draelgar… and remember to keep discreet about this matter.”

“Of course, mylord.”

“You may leave now. Oh and on your way out, tell the traveller that he may come back in here so that we can discuss the matter of purchase price.”

Fen bowed his head a bit, did as he was told and left, hoping that this would be the last disturbance of the day. All he wanted right then was a bath, a quick dinner, a bed and the company of someone with whom he did not have to walk on eggshells.

—-Elsewhere—-

Rocky’s body was still quivering with fear as he ran into the forest. Only there, surrounded by the tall trees, did he feel a measure of safety, though he still looked back repeatedly to check if he had been followed. But he found no two-legs to be on his tail, at least at the moment.

He was safe, if only for a time.

He felt better now. Calmer. But also tired and hungry. He should do something about that… and get those things, the messages, out of his eyes. He was not sure how he knew so many things. How he knew the words for ‘forest’, ‘trees’ and ‘hill’, and what they meant. How he knew that the things in his vision had meaning, and he understood them.

Skill proficiency threshold reached. [Iron Charge] (4) has levelled up to [Iron Charge] (5). Skill proficiency threshold reached. [Ironhide] (1) has levelled up to [Ironhide] (2).

There were also some others, which he had missed before they had vanished. But somehow he knew what to do… he focused and wished to see his [Status].

[STATUS (Rocky)]

Race

Ironback Charger [Animal]

Level

16

Skill Points

2

Bio Points

0

Traits

Animal Killer

Kin Killer

Monster Killer

Named

Touched by Divinity: The Knife

Health

Somewhat injured

Mana

None

Energy

Slightly tired

Skills

Herbivore (8) Insect Eater (6) Spear Proficiency (5) Club Proficiency (2) Enhanced Smell (5) Trample (4) Iron Charge (5) Ironhide (2) Rage (2) Roar (3)

It took Rocky several minutes to understand everything he saw. The words and numbers took a little time to decipher, but as he grasped their meaning, they made sense.

There were many questions left over, such as why his having a name had changed everything. Was it the doing of the Elder Ironback who’d revived him? Rocky wasn’t certain if he would get answers to those. But he knew, deep down, that his life was changed forever. He could not go back to eating, drinking and sleeping his days away without a care in the world save for his survival. He had a purpose now. Not that he knew what exactly that purpose was, but… he would follow his feelings.

Closing his [Status], he wandered into the forest, stopping as his snout guided him to turn over a rock here or break in a rotten tree trunk there, to lay bare insects to feed himself. Then he turned towards where he knew his usual sleeping spot to be, a place that was safe from the creatures in the water. But, just as it’d guided him to food, his snout now warned him that there was an unwanted intruder, staking their claim on his territory. But Rocky didn’t feel scared or even annoyed, but determined.

The creature intruding on his claim was one of the large felines that Rocky had tussled with in the past. Because they were similarly strong to him, it was usually a prolonged and tiring fight ending with both heavily injured and one giving up and running away. Rocky had taken to avoiding them most of the time because the fights led nowhere. Now, that was not the case. He stepped out into the little clearing where his sleeping spot was, and gave off a low growl.

The creature that came out to answer his challenge was a grown adult member of its species. With thick brown and orange fur covering its muscle-bound yet sleek body, four powerful legs ending in feline paws, a long segmented tail tipped with a pointy appendage and a bushy mane surrounding its head, it gave off an air of power and danger that inspired fear in others around it. It stared down Rocky out of flickering yellow eyes, before responding with a growl of its own. The message was obvious: it was not going to relinquish the spot it had found and was telling Rocky to go elsewhere. Normally, the Ironback would not have accepted the challenge. This time was different. It roared in earnest this time, then lowered its head and aimed its horn. The massive feline lowered its upper body and raised its tail, preparing for an attack.

Rocky did not, however, use [Iron Charge] immediately, unlike what it would have done in another battle. It kept a wary eye on the swinging tail instead, then began to walk closer, in a broad circle slowly getting on the feline’s left side, drawing closer and forcing the other creature to move with it. Eventually his opponent lost its patience and lunged forward with its front legs extended outwards, aiming to pin Rocky down and strike. But Rocky was no longer a simple-minded animal: he was smart, and he used strategy. Rather than to charge in, letting the monster use its agility to dodge his charge and attacking him in the back while his own momentum flung him forward, he fought smart. He let his opponent make the first move, even allowing it to sink its claws into his thick hide.

The monster would win if it got in a sting of its tail. Rocky had seen the effects of the deadly venom contained in it - it was not pretty. That was why he allowed his opponent to attack first. He watched the tail lining up, taking aim with the stinger, then dart forward fast as lightning to land a hit into his right side. He shifted its weight to the right at that instant, throwing off his opponent’s aim and making it sink its stinger into his back. Had he charged in first, he would’ve been wide open, the stinger would have pierced him in his unprotected rear or flank and he would have been done for. But now he had his opponent where he wanted him: [Ironhide] was too strong for the feline’s claws and stinger to pierce, and its most dangerous weapon was momentarily stuck, thus giving Rocky the opportunity he’d hoped to create.

With a mighty roar he swung his head up, stabbing his front horn deep into his opponent’s underside. The creature howled as it was gored but Rocky shifted his head further already, turning it as far sideways as it would go and smacking the feline into the ground. His opponent raked its claws over his hide as it was tossed off, but it could not do more than to leave some shallow carve marks. It tried to get up, but Rocky’s attack had torn its vulnerable underside open and inflicted enormous damage. It was still alive, but not for much longer.

Rocky was not going to gloat over its win, however. He turned towards the feline, reared a bit, then brought down its full weight on the feline’s head, crushing it underfoot.

You have defeated [M̶̞̫̜͕̓̍a̵̡͉͚̎n̵̻̟̤̯̐ṫ̴̢͇̆i̶͙͝c̷̯͎̔͛̕o̸̜͌͝r̸̯̉ĕ̴̱̙́̕]. EXP gained.

A message notifying him of his success popped up. Rocky snorted with satisfaction as he backed away from the dead body and wiped his front feet on the grass. He needed… EXP. No, levels. Power. For something. He wasn’t sure he knew why, only that it was part of his ‘purpose’. This creature he had slain was the first, and would not be the last.

Only as his mind returned to the original reason he was there, to go find his place to sleep, did he realise that the soon-to-be rotting dead body would stink up the place, attract carrion eaters and other predators and generally made it so he could no longer use this spot to rest. He threw his head back with an annoyed huff. Why, for all the smarts he had spontaneously gained, did he still have to be an idiot?!