Tiger

"Here is your sword back," the blacksmith said, "You can retrieve a sheath two days later."

"Thank you," Roran stood up and then walked out. Next stop, pharmacy.

The pharmacy was a kilometer away from the smithy. Roran walked there.

"Welcome," a gruff voice called out, "Pick out anything you want, the prices are on the products."

Roran scanned over the shelves. It would be useful to have some medicine that would be easy-to-use and convenient during a battle.

"Arborn," Roran declared to himself. Arborn was a type of magical tree, and its sap has healing properties. It can be drunk, or directly applied on the wound. People say that it can literally suck to pain away. Roran has seen the effects himself, and although it wasn't the fastest, it was reliable and cheap.

Roran searched the oak shelves for Arborn. It wasn't that long before he found a large amount stashed away at the far end of the room.

Roran spoke to the man, "Here."

"One silver coin." Roran had picked out quite a lot, enough to use for at least a few weeks. Satisfied with himself, Roran silently nodded, and then fished out a silver coin, giving it to the man.

"Goodbye, and also, do come back," The man said, somewhat annoyed at Roran for not leaving immediately.

"Goodbye," Roran exited the shabby pharmacy, and then called a carriage, "To the Royal Academy."

With a small swish of a whip, the carriage started moving at a steady pace. Comfortable, Roran thought, although a little too bumpy.

**********

Roran was sleeping soundly. He slumped against the seats, his neck in an awkward position. The sturdy carriage suddenly jolted up, undoubtably having crashed into a loose stone. Roran shifted slightly, causing the wood beneath him to creak. Then something woke Roran up. He shot up from his seat, drawing his sword instinctively.

The carriage toppled over without any warning. It spun through the air, but only a split second later, crashed heavily into the ground. Roran's breath was knocked out of him. He groaned, rolled a little, and then stood up shakily, trying to get out of the carriage, which had a gaping hole inside.

Just as he met fresh air, Roran jumped back. A huge claw flashed past. Roran dodged a bit too slow, and then claw sliced painfully into Roran's side, precisely where the Shadowcrawler had injured Roran just a day before. Roran looked towards the assailant. It was a tiger, but at least five times bigger. Its stripes were black and silver, and it exuded Mana, which then swirled around it in a hazy mist.

Roran's expression turned to stone. This was a magical beast. These each controlled their own element and were physically powerful. Roran had basically no chance.

The tiger snarled, baring its teeth. Roran didn't know its element yet. He couldn't afford not to. So, he advanced first, determined to figure it out.

The tiger raised its head, and then as much as a tiger could, it seemed to imitate a laugh. However, what came out was a series of raspy growls that would send shivers down anyone's spine.

It stomped one of its front paws on the ground, shaking all the earth around. A spike appeared under Roran's feet.

However, he was prepared. A small sidestep and he avoided it with ease.

"Earth, huh," Roran said.

The tiger was a bit annoyed as to have not gotten Roran on his first try.

Roran, now more confident, charged. The tiger didn't see it coming. However, it reacted, and then ran towards Roran, who suddenly stopped, and then waved. Earth rose and formed a wall in front of the tiger.

It snorted with indignation. It didn't believe that the human boy commanded stronger magic. It also waved, and then the wall was no more.

It instantly pounced, already thinking about ripping its teeth inside Roran's flesh.

However, Roran was not there. The tiger bit air, somewhat baffled by Roran's disappearance. It walked around in circles, looking for Roran.

It didn't see it coming. Roran fell on top of it, sinking his sword deep inside its body. Turn out that Roran, with the earth wall, had distracted the tiger, while temporarily obstructed its vision. He had used the element of air to support himself, and then "flew" into the sky, hovering just a meter above the tiger. And then, having spotted a perfect opportunity, dropped down, intent on taking the tiger in the heart

The tiger, however, wasn't stabbed in the heart at all. Roran's sword had hit one of its ribs, and then bounced off. This was a large injury, and it would take very long to recover. This thought completely enraged the tiger. Thus, it tried to throw Roran off.

It bucked, and then shook furiously. It swiped at its back, but all to no avail. Roran had gripped tufts of its hair, because literally, his life depended on it.

Roran pulled Demon Slayer out, and tried to kill the tiger, aiming to maybe slash apart its windpipe and ending it once and for all.

The tiger sensed it. It roared. Earth came together into large plates, and then covered the tiger's neck. Roran couldn't stop himself. Demon Slayer bit deeply inside the earth, but the tiger was unharmed.

Roran suddenly found himself a better idea. He slowly extracted some of his mana, created some fire, and then burned the tiger.

The tiger didn't feel it at first. It began with a small itch, and then grew drastically, until it turned into a searing pain that shook the tiger into its very core.

Roran dropped off from the tiger's back. Now was the second part of the plan. Roran summoned earth, and then encased the tiger with it, just like how it had done to its neck. Roran then used air, funneling it inside the tiger's shell. The fire blazed on even higher.

The tiger desperately tried to roll o the ground and sniff out the fire. However, Roran's earth kept getting in its way.

The tiger continued to struggle incessantly. Sweat gleamed off from Roran's forehead. He couldn't keep this up for long. The tiger's weight was crushing, and every second, huge amounts of Roran's mana was used up.

The tiger weakened, slowly but surely. Its attempts were slower and slower, while you could see the hope and life draining out of its eyes.

Roran's Mana was completely drained. He took some Mana from Demon Slayer, but Demon Slayer's Mana supply was also draining at an incredible pace.

The tiger died at last, in the unending firestorm. Roran waited for the fire to die, and then walked towards the tiger. He attempted to skin it, but not much was left over after the burning. Roran could only slice off its claws, and also take its teeth, which were approximately five centimeters long. Roran was thinking of making gauntlets, and these teeth and claws would make the perfect spikes.

Roran then took some meat from the surface. He learnt that the flesh of magical beasts was optimal for regenerating Mana, while also improving the eater's physical condition.

Roran looked at the meat. It was charred on the outside but cooked at a perfect degree by the fire on the inside. Roran's mouth watered, and then, he dug in. Roran finished after a few minutes, and then, packed some of the meat for later use. He took some of the newly bought Arborn sap and applied it onto the injury that he received from the tiger. Finally, he left the wrecks of the carriage, and then began to travel back to the Royal Academy.