2
"HELLLLP! MOMMY! SOMEONE! ANYONE! PLEASEE!!" I heard the shrill feminine cry next to me, reverberating off the walls of the enclosed space I now found myself in. I could tell that the core was nearly formed, but the scream had awaken me from sleep though I was still slightly dazed.
I blinked through blurry visions as I tried to figure out where I had been moved to while I was out because I definitely wasn't inside such a space when I fell asleep.
My eyes gradually gained focus and noticed a small girl smushed against the bars on the opposite side of the room from me. My smell came back with my vision and I could smell the tang of blood in the air. My hearing began picking up traces of a scuffle happening outside.
I slowly got up crawling on hands and knees noting how terrible my control over this elven body was. My movements felt nowhere near as smooth and cohesive as my former form. A set back that would only be corrected through combat, the way of getting stronger is to learn while in a fight after all!
I placed a hand on the girl's shoulder and she jumped with a squeal, but I quickly albeit clumsily snaked my other hand over her mouth to muffle the sound. Now that I was closer to her I knew who she was.
"Prrricessss. Sssstttayy qqu-iettt." I stumbled over my words, this stupid language was taxing when I hadn't ever had to speak out loud before. Either I had lost my telepathy entirely in the switch or this body can't utilize it while I don't have a core.
Reaching through the bars I pull the bolt back and slip out the door. The bars were small enough for my slender arm to reach through, so either they were planning to capture an older elf or they didn't think a kid would be smart enough to reach through. Whatever their thoughts it didn't matter to me.
As I rounded the side I could see the fight unfolding, a human child had just cut one of the slavers Achilles tendon, causing the man to dive away.
"Gah! Danton, be careful! I think this brat is a mage." The man on the ground warned and the information intrigued me. I looked at the kid closer and indeed confirmed that he already had a core. How unfortunate if I had been more patient I could have gotten a body that had already formed its core and seemed to have an affinity for the 4 elements.
Approaching on silent steps I reach the probed man that was slightly behind the other slave trader. He had dropped his short sword during his dive, so I took it. I didn't particularly want to use a weapon but with no core or claws I had to use what I could.
His hand grasped around the grassy floor as he kept his eyes on the child. He chanced a look back where he found me crouching behind him with the blade pointed at his throat.
"Oh sh-.." I plunged the blade directly into his neck leaving him gasping as he tried to cover the wound. This distracted the last remaining slaver as he fought the kid.
This child threw a dagger at the man and it was connected with a strand of mana. The man managed to slice through the mana string, disruptinging it, but while he did I began running at him with the sword in my hand.
It felt terribly awkward running with a long piece of metal in my hands, after years and years of using my own fangs and claws. The man and the child continued their exchanges and I felt like the man knew that I was coming but he kept most of his focus on the young mage. Likely deeming him the more significant threat.
He returned the dagger to the boy with a hard through, that missed as the boy dodged to the side only to get rewarded with a sheathe to his ankles. As he stumbled the reached to grab him but I was already there.
I swung the blade from behind with an over head swing, my new body coupled with never having used a sword before caused the attack to miss my intended target of the man's head. My strike instead streaked down his back and eventually embedded in the back of his leg.
I'll never understand why these 2 leggeds don't strengthen their bodies or at the least reinforce it entirely when fighting. So many of these mages leaves spots unprotected, but once again such oversight has benefited me.
"Arrrrgh!" He howled as turned while swinging his sword, but I ducked and rolled out of the way. Before he could even complete his full turn around to face me I heard him gurgle. Looking back at him I see him drop to his knees with the dagger the boy had been holding embedded between his ribs, likely piercing a lung.
I noticed it before, but now I'm positive. This child mage is not normal. He gives off the aura and presence of a seasoned hunter, something no mere child could ever do no matter their upbringing. Such an aura only comes from numerous life and death or at the very least high stakes battles. This child just keeps getting more and more interesting.
"Thank you for the help." I heard him say, but I didn't get a chance to respond as I felt a pulse in my chest. I gripped my chest and could feel my consciousness fading again. The last thing I saw was the boy getting blown back as a devastating forced exploded out of me, digging a crater where I laid. Falling asleep for a second time in this uncooperative body.
The only positive being that I knew that I had just formed my core. Now it was time to assimilate, something every cub does. Pushing the mana from the core throughout the body, not leaving a single piece untouched as the body is saturated with mana.