Into the unknown

"I can't believe it's been a week since we've been here," Timothy remarked.

"Yeah we've managed to sustain food for now at least. We need to hunt some of those chickens today for sure," Xander replied.

"Are you sure you want to go hunting with us today? You haven't received your remnant yet so it's just a matter of time now," Caleb suggested.

 "You have a point but I think I'll be okay today. How's your ability coming along?" Xander replied with a question.

 "I've got the hang of it, I have to have a stronger will than whatever I'm trying to bond with. Really excited to try it out," he responded.

 "How many bonds can you have?" Xander asked.

 "Just one but that's enough if I can get something crazy strong," Caleb answered.

 "You're not wrong. I saw this place way up on the hills the first day I came here, I'd like to go there soon but it's about time to head out so let's get the group together," Xander stated.

 Eight of them gathered comprised of Xander, Levi, Caleb, Timothy, Kyuso, Raphael, the guy with lightning abilities Isaac and the girl who could conjure knives and shoot Jean. When they were close to the forest Xander explained, "We're planning to hunt a chicken today. For those who don't know they have a tough exterior, so we'll need Timothy to fry it and then we step in and end it. First we're going to pick the fruits as usual just so we don't have to do it after causing a ruckus. Levi and Kyuso, Caleb and Isaac, Timothy and Jean and Raphael and I. Everyone understand?"

They all agreed and then entered the forest. As usual they split into their groups and started to pick fruits. As usual Xander was the furthest in the forest filling up their bags. "So why did you decide to come even though you could get your Remnant at any moment?" Xander asked.

"I just want to explore this whole planet, it's so beautiful and frightening at the same time. I want to know more about it, so there's no way I'm giving up a chance to go into the forest," Raphael replied.

"You're the only one I've heard with that mindset since we've got here," Xander responded as he let out a chuckle in disbelief.

"Wait do you hear that?" Raphael said as he started look around.

Xander who was in the tree whispered as he began climbing down, "What is it?"

Raphael continued spinning around looking in every direction and then finally said, "There it is."

Xander who was down the tree looked in the direction he pointed to, and saw a chicken. "Good call Raphael, Timothy's group is right behind us so you go call them here. I'll stay and watch the chicken," Xander replied.

Raphael didn't waste any time and went off to get Timothy.

-

"You know you could've stayed back at camp right?" Levi jokingly said to Kyuso.

"I-I could've but the new me can handle at least this much," Kyuso replied as he waited on Levi to come down with his bag.

"New you? Let's see how much better you are," Levi responded.

Levi then threw a sorellis down, Kyuso attentively kept his eyes on it. Placed his hands together and cushioned the fruit directly in his palms. "I-I caught it, oh my god I caught it," Kyuso celebrated.

Levi who was in the tree laughing, continued picking the fruits as he replied, "I've never seen someone this happy at catching before, but I guess our catching practice this week has paid off, right Kyuso?"

A moment had passed and Kyuso had not replied yet, "Hey Kyuso too hap-," Levi paused as he looked down to see Kyuso passed out on the floor.

"Shit shit shit," Levi cursed as he quickly jumped down the tree with his bag of fruits to check up on Kyuso.

He quickly came to the conclusion that it was his Remnant. He picked up Kyuso and threw him over his left shoulder and the two bags of fruits over his right. He called out to Caleb who was relatively close to him and Caleb and Isaac came running. "Hey wh-, oh is he having his remnant?" Caleb asked.

"Yeah that's what I think, I'm going to head back to camp with him, could you guys go tell the others what happened?" Levi replied.

"Sure, but are you sure you're going to be okay carrying Kyuso and the fruits?" Caleb asked.

"I'll be fine, Munitio," Levi replied as his body suddenly enlarged.

-

"Hey Xander, I've got them," Raphael said as he returned.

"Good, Timothy it's right ahead. I'll get in position for the finish, as soon as I reach that tree beside the chicken then you use your flames to burn it. Jean if I don't get it in one hit then you use your knives to cut off its path. We all got it? Then let's go," Xander said as he went to get in position.

Very gently he crouched through some bushes closer to the chicken. He successfully made it to the tree without alerting the chicken while it was busy pecking at a sorellis. "I guess it's my turn, Burn," Timothy said as he directed his hand at the chicken.

The chicken suddenly burst into flames and started running in a circle. Immediately, Xander jumped out from behind the bushes and charged at the chicken with his sword. He held the hilt with both hands and thrusted it through the hard scales with all his might. The chicken let out a loud cry before seizing all movement. It was still burning so Xander tried gently tapping it with his foot to out the fire, but it didn't stop. Raphael, Jean and Timothy went over to Xander then Timothy held out his arm and whispered, "Cessare," and the fire immediately vanished.

"Well, I think we did that quite easily if you ask me," Xander said.

"I didn't even need to do anything," Jean replied.

"We now have chicken! I'm so tired of fruits everyday," Timothy rejoiced.

Raphael immediately went and inspected the scales on the chicken's feathers. "In the book it's called Bosena but it's just like a chicken but with armor. How interesting," Raphael pointed out.

"Whatever it is, I just hope it tastes good," Timothy said as everyone had a little laugh.

Xander was about to take up the chicken when they heard a coo from behind them. When they turned around they saw another chicken darting towards them. It was moving so quickly that they couldn't react fast enough, and it launched itself at Raphael knocking him down flat on the ground. The chicken ricocheted off Raphael and landed back where they first spotted it. "What the fuck was that? Are you okay?" Xander asked Raphael as he drew his sword.

"Yeah I'm good it does pack quite a force," Raphael replied as he made his way back to his feet.

Before they could do anything else the chicken started darting towards them again, "Timothy bur-," Xander paused mid sentence out of absolute shock.

A massive silver and white spotted animal pounced from the bushes and bit the chicken cleanly in half. It had two rows of teeth and two large crystal fangs that hanged from the top of its mouth, like a sabertooth. It had two silver tails and it's claws seemed to also be the same crystal as its fangs. Everyone was frozen in absolute shock as the beast continued devouring the chicken. "Guys! We finally caught up to you. It's about Ky-," Caleb shouted as he ran up to the group.

The beast turned its head to face the group. Its eyes were cold and piercing as his teeth were drenched it blood, it placed a foot towards them as it started to growl. "RUN!" Xander shouted as the four spun around and sprinted towards Caleb and Isaac.

The beast leaped off into a sprint, chasing down its prey. Timothy while running looked back and aimed in an attempt to set it on fire, but his aim was off and ended up setting a sorellis tree on fire. Xander realized Timothy needed to be steady and he stopped running and turned to face the beast. It immediately pounced at Xander swiping its claws at his chest. Xander quickly placed the the sword horizontally across his chest, blocking the lethality of the attack but the forced behind it caused him to be sent flying across the ground like a tumbleweed. "Burn!" Timothy shouted as the beast erupted in a robe of flames.

It let out a loud defiant roar and charged towards Timothy. "Projectile!" Jean as a kunai manifested instantly and launched straight at the beast lodging in its left eye.

It pounced at Timothy but he dived out of the way, hence the beast completely missed and instead collided into a tree. It quickly got up, with all its fur almost fully burned off and scorch marks all over. It once again charged towards Timothy, "Mitiges, adiuva me!" Caleb shouted as the beast froze in its tracks and stared at Caleb.

"Vinculum mecum nunc forma!" Caleb shouted as he took a step closer to it.

Everyone stood dumbfounded as Caleb and the beast were locked in an intense stare down. Caleb was trying his hardest to remain strong but then the beast started growling, and an uncertainty creeped onto Caleb's face. The beast opened its jaws to pierce Caleb's chest when Xander lodged his sword right in the throat of the beast. It least out a sharp roar and quickly spun and knocked Xander to the the ground. It pinned him to the ground and ejected its claws from its paws when Jean managed to conjure two kunais, "Projectile!" She screamed as they launched straight towards the beast.

One managed to hit it in the head but the other accidentally hit Xander in the shoulder. "Aaaghh!!" He let out a huge shriek in pain.

The beast no longer had the strength to rip into Xander's chest as it planned. It began moving sluggish when Caleb took his sword and thrust straight through its throat. Xander quickly got up from under the beast as it made its final growl before collapsing to the ground. The flames had burned through all its surface skin by now as it laid lifeless roasting. "Cessare," Jean said as the kunai in Xander's shoulder disappeared.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Xander I was aiming at that thing I didn't mean to hit you," she frantically apologized as she checked on his injury.

"I know Jean if you didn't, I'd probably be dead right now so this is nothing," Xander replied while the blood violently streamed down his arm.

"What the fuck was that thing?! It hasn't turned to mist is it even dead?" Timothy exclaimed as he sat down on the ground exhausted.

"It's called a Kunnis, it's an animal of this world not a shadow beast like the death dog," Raphael replied.

Jean who was helping Xander wrap his shoulder to stop the bleeding added, "Why did it take so much to die?"

"I don't know but if I never see one of those again it'd be too soon, Cessare," Timothy replied as the flames extinguished from the corpse.

"I don't think we should spend another minute here," Xander stated.

"You're right, let's head back to camp before anything else happens," Caleb agreed, then they quickly began heading back.

It didn't take them long to exit the forest. "Wait where is Levi and Kyuso?" Xander asked.

"Right I forgot, Kyuso fainted so he headed back early with him," Caleb replied.

They made their way towards camp urgently but Xander and Isaac were lagging behind the pack a bit. Xander looked over at Isaac to see him lost in thoughts, "Hey are you good?" Xander asked.

"It's nothing, I-I'm f-fine," Isaac replied.

"Hey man, you can talk if something's bothering you, I don't judge," Xander responded.

"Well...I'm supposed to already have my remnants but there's no way how to use them. I couldn't even do anything today. What-what if it didn't go our way today I-I couldn't even help out even if I wanted to. Why doesn't my power at least tell me how to use it?" Isaac questioned.

"I get why you're frustrated but just focus on what you can do right now. Eventually you'll figure it out, don't worry about it," Xander replied.

After they reached back they told the story of what happened to basically everyone in the camp. "What did you say?! So where is Xander now?" Emma asked frantically.

"Hey calm down, he's fine plus he's gone to Flora to get healed up," Timothy reassured her.

"Well, that is probably the best thing to do," Emma replied and then continued, "I just hope everything goes smoothly from here on out."

"Hey Flora, I got injured today, do you think you could help me out?" Xander said as he tapped on her shoulder.

Flora spun around and saw Xander's predicament but instantly turned her back to him. "I'm sure you'll be fine," she replied.

"Is it that big of a bother to just help me out a bit?" Xander replied a bit irritated.

"Could you just leave me alone and go?" She responded coldly as a crowd started to form.

"Well I'm sorry if the princess finds it annoying to just simply help someone out!" Xander shouted as his blood started to boil with anger.

"Yeah so what if I don't want to. I don't owe you anything and you don't owe me anything. I don't have to do anything I don't want to!" Flora shouted in response with her back still turned.

"You don't need to owe someone a favor to fucking help out in their time of need. It's common decency. I'm sorry for wasting both our times, forget it! I'd rather bleed out to death than deal with you," Xander ranted as he stormed off into the crowd.