BEGINNINGS PART 3

A deathly silence filled the room and you could hear a pin drop. Even the surrounding sky beasts were quiet as if reading the mood and holding their breath. Azaire swallowed the lump that had appeared in his throat but before he could say anything Master Talya continued.

"This is storm grade sky poisoning. Something Sky Hounds would normally be immune too but you drown something in enough poison and even legendary immunity can become ineffective. As for this Sky Hound puppy it seems like it had an unfortunate accident after attempting an evolution to Adulthood. I'm aware you already know this Azaire but for Prince Jared let me explain. Most beasts have 2-3 types of evolutions they cultivate and besides the main evolution of grade there is also the evolution from their childhood forms to their adulthood forms.

For some beasts usually around the mythic grade level, like your Sky Hound or a Nine-Tailed Fox, this evolution can be even more unforgiving as the quality of abilities used go through an Earth shattering change and after this evolution beasts of such nature are capable of switching between childhood and adult forms without loss in adult power providing many unique ways of....."

Master Talya then saw the look of strained patience in both of the young men's eyes and cleared her throat before continuing to her point. "Anyway during these evolutions to adulthood beasts are at their most powerful point currently capable but they are also at their most vulnerable. Their are a number of things that could go wrong and that includes quite commonly occasions where evolution fails due to being overwhelmed/poisoned by their own power. This is a painful and near crippling affliction that not many beasts even at the Primal grade level can survive."

Master Talya gave the prince a meaningful look, "You're lucky you acted swiftly, it was probably in the process of dying when you found the poor pup. It's probably alive now because those specialists most likely just used life prolonging techniques and mixtures to keep it that way. It could probably survive at most another two centuries like this but if left untreated it will have a painful and slow death."

With these final words, she allowed the severity of the situation to sink in like an executioners blade. After a moment of quiet Prince Jared looked at Master Talya with tear streaked eyes as he pulled Azaire closer into a tighter embrace.

"You....you can save him.... right Lady Talya?" Prince Jared's eyes burned brightly with hope and sparks of electricity appeared occasionally here and there on him similar to how it did on his wolf. He was after all a storm giant a little static when they were especially emotional was reasonable.

Azaire looked at the teary eyed giant and felt his heart pang suddenly. There weren't many humans who showed such deep empathy for even their own beasts besides himself and Master Talya but this man! Master Talya gave a measuring look before starting her reply,

"In fact I can fix this...." she held up her hand to stop the premature joy and gratitude already forming on the giant prince's face. "....However the materials needed to fix this issue are all rare and dangerous to obtain. Most importantly they have to be collected by myself personally. No there's no need to bribe me that's not what I'm getting at!"

Master Talya once again stopped the prince from interrupting as she spoke. Azaire could tell master was aggravated because she had started pacing around the cloudy ground irritably. "Damn that Azaziel why must she always be right!"

Azaire startled at the mention of his mother's name. "Auntie Talya what does mama have to do with it did she foretell something to you?" Azaire's mother ran the village's most popular and best service apothecary but many of the villagers liked to go their for his moms side job of fortune teller which she was equally good at.

Master Talya turned to Azaire with another sigh. A rather ambiguous one this time. "That mother of yours sure knows what she's doing all right." Master Talya's tone was affectionate and suggestive and Azaire immediately wiped the whole encounter from his memory. Honestly the less he knew about his parents bountiful adventures the better he would feel personally.

"I can get all the materials although they may be a tad difficult to obtain here or there I can obtain everything but it's going to take some effort and a bit of a long time. But don't worry you two will be coming with me as I need the puppy around me to prolong his life and I'll need my new apprentice who I'm claiming to officially have passed his trials to start his first training trip with me as this although a bit above your current level is simply too good to pass up such an opportunity so you're coming and that's that."

Master Talya stopped pacing and spun around on the spot suddenly with a carefree grin and sparkling eyes she singlehandedly dissipated the depressing atmosphere she had caused in the first place. Azaire himself was conflicted. On one hand the chance to finally go out into the wide world and meet more beasts of all kinds and officially help Auntie Talya as a hardworking apprentice sounded ever so enticing, but on the other wouldn't his parents worry to death at this? Especially such a sudden decision and he had yet to start any sort of actual cultivation yet either!

This seemed a bit too hasty and it would be better to step back and plan things out a bit more but.... one look at the poor puppy in his arms was enough to bring immediate guilt to his face. Azaire felt like he was developing a headache and leaned his head delicately into the convenient giant nearly carrying him against his chest at this point. 'This giant sure does make a nice thinking pillow!'

Azaire thought such thoughts as Master Talya looked at the two with an unknown twinkle in her eyes. Nodding in approval to no one in particular she was not unaware of her charges thoughts. "Don't worry Azaire your mom and I discussed this after she foretold my suspicions. She also seemed to see this coming as well so she has everything you will need or want to bring packed up already."

Azaire startled in surprise at the words. "Ah. My parents are so eager to be rid of me, how did I become such a nuisance!" Azaire joked in a obviously faked wronged tone leaving no doubt he was joking.

"About that no need to worry your step father was much more concerned about the matter and refused to let you off on your own with just me. So your brother Roran will be coming too." Azaire gave a look of confusion at this until Master Talya explained. "I believe he still hasn't quite gotten over that incident with your brother's apprentice exchange."

A look of sudden understanding crossed Azaire's face. Not too long ago during a bi-annual apprenticeship exchange program his dad had sent his brother to one of the more famous and talented blacksmiths in the village but after a while there my father had learned the blacksmith would beat all his apprentices viciously for every little mistake then hide the marks from parents using magic makeup and all the apprentices had long since signed a "harmless" contract that prevented them from telling anyone what was going on.

If Azaire's mother hadn't noticed the makeup with her herbology skills, and realized about the contract, and broke it somehow; no one might be the wiser. His dad had gone berserk! Azaire had never seen the kindly old man lose his shit at anything before that, and he hoped he would never see it again.

Anyway, till this day the villagers talk about how old Robert Blackhand beat that man so bad that if the body had been on a magivision screen it would have been censored. Azaire sighed. "Really worrying about something like that now? Does he think you're that kind of person! Well whatever....Roran was going to start his craftsman's journey soon anyway."

A craftsman's journey was the most defining and shaping point in a craftsman of any nature's career. During his dad's journey apparently he traveled around the world. So it was obvious that for his beloved blood son who had naturally followed his father's footsteps in becoming a blacksmith (unlike him and his beasts) his dad was eventually going to send his son off around the world anyway.

Now his dad would just save money not needing to buy mercenaries and guards as his master was ten times more powerful and efficient than any number of guards he could hire. "Indeed this is the definition of two birds and one stone." Master Talya replied probably thinking along the same lines. "Well I'll do what I need! I'm happy to do whatever I can to help."

Prince Jared promised solemnly with a relieved grin on his face as he slowly put Azaire down after a last squeeze and started for the door. He'd have to get his stuff ready. Azaire also gently placed the wolf down and after a little instructing had Skye play with some of the gentler Sky beasts. After he too turned to start making his way out, but before either could get very far a figure in a dark black cloak appeared before them letting off an aura that inspired intense fear and despair. With a slow threatening movement of it's hood it spoke. "You're not going anywhere!"