Beast Heart: Havenfall

"This is your final exam. If you pass this, then you graduate! If you don't then you stay another year until you can try again next time!" A fit, middle aged man with unremarkable black hair and brown eyes addressed the small crowd that consisted of thirty students. All these students were in their final year; aspiring graduates of Endola Beast Taming Academy, the most prestigious academy of the Sun Empire.

"I'm really excited. If I can pass this exam, my father will finally give me the chance to tame the Maul Fang that he has been raising!" A young noble excitedly told his friend who buzzed with a similar energetic vibe to him.

"You're lucky! Whatever beast I tame today is what I will use until I turn twenty five and become the heir to my family's land." The boy's friend looked at him enviously. "When I finally become the heir, I have to go on a pilgrimage through the wild lands we own and tame something better."

The Endola Beast Taming Academy, being the best of the best in the Sun Empire, naturally catered toward the noble families and high ranking dignitaries of the kingdom. The young aspirants that were sent here naturally belonged to families of means, who boasted great wealth and connections. Their foundations were connected to the very foundation of the empire itself!

Just like these two noble boys, many others began discussing amongst themselves. Everyone present here, except a few, came from families with long histories backing them. They were all people of means, and had their ways to become Beast Tamers of amazing creatures that could shock the masses. The exceptions were those who were being sponsored by the empire itself, picked from among the commoners.

Naya was one such commoner, a young lady, who had been lucky enough to get selected to enroll at the Endola Beast Taming Academy four years ago. She had worked hard to ensure she kept up with the rest of the class, and it had paid off. Many of her mates, those with means, and those without, had failed to reach the end of the journey, having been transferred to lesser schools because they could not keep up with the high requirements that were required.

Unlike the other students, Naya stood alone and spoke to no one. She had no friends. She did not try to make friends, as all her time was taken up by her studying routine, and no one tried to make friends with her, as commoners like her were beneath the notice of nobles.

Before long, Naya found herself following her teacher, the man with black hair and brown eyes, along with all other twenty nine students, as they made their way through a large forest that was located at the southeastern region of the Empire. It was not far from the Academy, as the Academy was purposely built by the forest to facilitate this final test.

After walking for a while longer, the group came to a stop. The teacher at the front turned back and raised his head. Beside him, a large, two meter tall Furnace Lion sat down, its fiery mane flowing smoothly as it ran its eyes over the students that came to a stop. The Furnace Lion was a powerful Mythical Creature, and it was the contracted beast of the teacher of the class, one of the most powerful people of the Sun Empire.

"Alright, boys and girls! Your final test begins now! You have three days to tame a magical creature and bring it back to the academy! If you fail to tame one before the time elapses, you fail! If you do manage to tame a creature, but fail to make it back to the academy, then you will also fail! Good luck!" The man bellowed before turning to his Furnace Lion. It got to its feet and he mounted its back, and then the two meter tall lion simply leapt away, leaving the thirty students standing in the middle of the forest.

.

.

Warmth. Warmth. Warmth.

A soothing, comforting warmth was all that Keegan felt. Until it began to suffocate him.

'Ugh! I can't brea-'

Splat!

A breaking sound rang out as a translucent egg of yellow-green liquid burst open, squeezed by the flexible body of a large, long figure. Keegan's vision was blurred by the liquid that covered his body as he flailed around on the ground. The sticky fluid on his body made the sand and dust around to stick to him.

Hissss!

A sharp hissing sound rang out just before Keegan felt a tight band wrap around his body. He was also finally able to see.

'Oh my-!' Before Keegan could finish thinking the words in his head, a bright light flashed and blinded him for a moment. When he opened his eyes again, he found that the entire head of the serpent that had just been wrapped around him had vanished. At the base of the head, where it joined with the rest of the body, burnt flesh and scales greeted Keegan's sight.

The body of the snake went limp, and Keegan found himself free, but stuck. He could not move his body well, and the snake was still wrapped around him.

'Hold up... Is this what the afterlife is supposed to look like? I'm supposed to be dead, right?' Keegan thought to himself, confused. He opened his mouth and took a deep breath. When he breathed it out, however, he almost jumped in fright. The only reason he remained in place was because the snake's body was still wrapped around his body.

The reason why he was so spooked was because, when he breathed out, instead of a puff of air, a stream of bright red flames shot out of his mouth!

"Huff!"

Keegan tried to grunt, and a small plume of smoke left his nostrils.

'No way... Could it be?' His mind began to spin rapidly and his heart began to beat quickly. 

'I've been reincarnated as a baby dragon?'