2 Empowering disciple

The air of the forest trembles as the cub before this boy grits its teeth, feeling something odd happening to it. It's fur getting darker and it's eyes becomes a beautiful shade of crimson.

The boy looks at the cub as he mutters, "Your name will be Gray." Suddenly the violent wind starts to slowly die down as the wolf cub gains a gray fur trail down his spine.

Gray looks at the boy as it feels this power surge through its body, moving deep into his core. The core within its body trembles as it takes in the power that's speeding towards it and it expands abruptly but shrinks just as fast.

The majestic beast witnessing all this loses his proud aura for a second before regaining it and asks, "Youngling, what is your name?" His instincts are yelling at him that this is no ordinary child but he keeps his calm.

Even though the ground stopped quaking and air has settled, there was an eerie silence that filled the air as the boy turned his head and his deep blue gaze fixed on the magical beast above it. "My name is Damon Gray. What's yours?"

The beast frowned at his way of asking but he knew that this child probably doesn't have anyone to teach him. So it disregarded the attitude of the boy and stood proud as if he was trying to show off, "My name is Amoux, child, and I've seen you've given the little pup your family name."

Damon squinted his eyes as he looked at Amoux as if trying to pierce his soul. "I have no family! All I remember is that I was given a ring on my 10th birthday stating that my surname is Gray." The cub sensed Damon's uneasiness on this specific topic and liked his hand trying to comfort him.

"I have no one. So Gray will be my family." Damon said as he looked at the cub before him, lovingly.

Amoux looked at Damon with a smirk on her face as if she had just gained immortality. This child who she has stubbled on has an ominous aura that he himself has no idea about and the power he displayed during the process of the blood pact was nothing Amoux has ever seen before.

Amoux jumped off from her high perch and landed gracefully before them as she spoke in a caring manner, "Child, become my disciple! I won't take no for an answer!"

Amoux stood proudly for a few seconds before she moved to head back while Damon considered this. His expression becoming dull as he got lost in thought. 'Maybe I can get stronger but will he really not take no for an answer?'

Damon's gaze landed on Amoux fur covered back and then moved to the two red horns by her temples. Could he really say no? The answer was obvious. He picked up Gray and hurriedly ran beside Amoux.

The spirit trees swayed slightly in the wind as small creatures meekly popped out from different parts of the trees. Their gazes landed on the three moving below as they stared in curiousity and fear.

"If I become your disciple, then you cannot hurt Gray! Also I will not call you Master. I'm sorry but I never called anyone Master." Damon stated while he held Gray between his arms. It snuggled against Damons chest before falling asleep.

Amoux snorted at his attitude but didn't say a thing as they walked. Slowly but surely, they were coming towards the end of the forest when realization hit Damon, thinking whether this magical beast was going into town.

The Great Forest of Treast was only connected to the town of Rose. Therefore, the two places had am agreement that both would not cross over to the other sides territory unless someone of Rose got special permission for a beast to enter the town.

Damons expression changed as he looked at Amoux worriedly. "Why are we headed to town? I don't have a house and I don't think you can enter."

Amoux didn't reply, rather she kept walking. This angered Damon a bit but he kept it inside. Just before they got to the border, they spotted three soldiers patrolling the border. Amoux stopped and white light engulfed her and moved as if deforming her body.

When the white light receded, there stood an elegant woman of height at about 1.65 meters with straight, chestnut hair that extends to her shoulders while her emerald eyes reflected what she saw before her. Her small nose and rosy lips highlighted her facial features as her milky skin made her look as white as snow. To Damon, she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

She gave off a calm aura with her simple attire that was a white shirt, brown, tight-fitting pants and leather boots. She turned to look at Damon as she smiled, "There's no need to worry. They won't know that I'm a beast unless they are stronger than me. Though I doubt you would find characters like those in Rose."

Damon stood there in astonishment. The abrupt changing into a human caused the light emitted to wake Gray up who stared at Amoux. Magical beasts who could become humans were powerful beings as they had to overcome the mutation that happened with their cores. It is said that less than 35% of the entire magical beast population have overcome this process where most of them died due to excruciating pain.

After the moment of astonishment was gone, they began to walk to the border where the soldiers patrolled. If the soldiers saw them then they would look suspicious as almost all the people who has gone into the Treast Forest has never returned except Damon.

The city of Rose had a huge, cobblestone wall with a draw gate. Although people cannot enter the forest, the path before the forest was another means of exiting Rose city to enjoy the Treast scenery. Amoux held onto Damon as the moved to the gates and paid a fee of 1 silver coin.

"Stay close and follow without asking much... There's a place that I own and we will train in secret but you will act as someone who works for me. Got it?" Amoux didn't even glance at Damon as she said this but he understood it.