[Request & Preparation]

Alexander felt awfully bad. His whole body was teared between the extreme pain from his body being obliterated and the refreshing sensation of the life flame quickly healing his increasing wounds.

Some days ago he managed to create some Energy Mass Points which slightly increased the efficiency of his bloodline so now, thanks to [Life IV], he couldn't even lose consciousness.

The only way out was to silently suffer and endure.

Fortunately, the explosion was quick and suddenly something pushed him aside. With a cracking sound he hit some tree and fell on the ground.

For a while he laid on the ground, motionless and burning, for a few very long minutes.

Alexander slowly opened his eyes and inspected the surrounding area. To tell that what he saw left him shaken would be an understatement.

Where was once a forest, now was a desolate and dry expanse. There was no one here apart from Alexander. He recalled the earlier heavy push. – "To think…that lovely creature survived and even escaped?"

"First. Find Bone." – He mumbled and started walking in the direction where he last saw the pieces of his skeleton follower.

He spent near an hour before he managed to find some traces: a few bones that were probably Bone's.

'He will be able to attach them anyway.'

After another hour he finally saw a round white object in the distance. – "Man, you made me walk a lot!"

"Clack, clack!"

"Yeah, I found most of your bones…or at least they should be yours." – He took out his "loot" and started assembling the pieces under Bone's detailed, mono-word, instructions.

"Ok, this goes here?"

"Clack!"

"No? Are you sure…"

"Clack! Clack, clack."

"Well, yes, it was your body for a very long time but still…

"CLACK!"

[…]

It was already the evening then he finally finished to reassemble the skeleton. – "Finally done!" – He fell backwards. – "Never again. I prefer to find a way to somehow reinforce you body…By chance, by pumping up that flame inside of your skull, you body don't become more powerful?"

His hopes were shattered by a single denying "Clack!"

"Anyway. Our rabbit friend survived and escaped. I don't think that we can find him today." – Alexander stood up. – "Now, we're returning to the ship. Captain took control of the city to accelerate the reconstruction, so we will stay here for some days…"

As he thought about what to do, they returned towards the city gate. The guards were still the same as before. Alexander suddenly thought about something.

"Hei, my dear friends." – Both of them, very bored by their monotonous work immediately focused on him, but mostly on Bone. Alexander saw where they were looking and sighed. – "This is my…follower. I bought him."

The guards were still somehow experienced and didn't ask any questions.

"Did you need some help, sir?"

'Sir? It's the first time that someone calls me that.' He was strangely pleased. – "On my way back, I encountered a creature that I did never saw…" – He quickly described the creature. Both guards slightly paled. They looked at each other. – "You really saw a mature Moon Tryq?!"

"Well, I don't know its name, but if you're talking about a huge monster rabbit with horns and nine tentacles, then yes!" – Alexander looked puzzled by their exaggerated reaction.

"A full-grown Moon Tryq is an initial Class II creature!!!" – One of the guards tried to convey the importance of the fact by nearly screaming the last part but Alexander still was clueless. – "Class II creature is such a big deal? Well, yes, it was very powerful, but still we managed to wound it…"

The guards started trembling… - "You've already awakened your…bloodline?!" – Suddenly asked one of them. The other had the same idea but didn't have the courage to ask.

"Yeah."

Even if they've expected this answer, it was still a shock for them. 'He is so young but…' Suddenly some of their, already nearly forgotten memories resurfaced. The dream of awakening their bloodline and go to the Upper Ocean. To roam the seas…

But the reality was cruel.

"Can you tell me something more about this Moon Tryq?" – Suddenly a young voice returned them to reality.

"Clack!"

"No, sorry…at the library they have a bestiary. It should be described there…"

Alexander nodded and smiled. As he was about to go away suddenly one of the guards, the one who stood silent before, suddenly called. – "Sir…" – Alexander stopped and looked back with an inquiring look. – "…are you thinking about…hunting this Moon Tryq?"

"This was the idea. Today we managed to wound it. Hopefully It doesn't regenerate or something…"

"Can…we come with you tomorrow?" – This sudden request had taken Alexander aback. – "What? You want to come with me? But you could die…"

The other guard stood silent and motionless but in his eyes was written some sort of determination.

Alexander, still don't quiet understanding, sighed and nodded. – "Ok, tomorrow morning let's meet here."

"Thank…you…"

[…]

"Damn! It regenerates! Tomorrow that bitch will be as good as new." – He was reading the bestiary entry about the Moon Tryq. Reading and cursing. The main strong point of mature Moon Tryqs wasn't their attack power, but the surviving abilities.

An hour before he took this book from the local library. Well…Strictly speaking he stole it, but he couldn't do overwise since the library was empty. It took quiet some time to find the right book.

Surprisingly he found out that he suddenly learned to read. 'Should be merit of one of my dreams…' Thought Alexander.

"We'll need to slaughter some of his children to attract his attention…Well…it was the plan from the start…"

As he was immersed into the planning someone arrived behind him.

"Moon…Tryq…good…prey…" – Old Hound's voice frightened Alexander. – "…prey…for amateurs…"

Alexander frowned. – "I AM an amateur."

"…yes…"

Both remained silent. Suddenly Alexander asked something different. – "Two guards, from the city gate, asked to come with me. I don't understand why."

Old Hound didn't answer immediately. – "It…is…chance…awaken…and…"- The pauses between single words became longer. – "…survive!"

Alexander nodded.

Old Hound turned around and went away. – "…the horn…second one…weak…ness." – Was the last thing he said before disappearing inside the ship.

The boy smiled. – "Thanks!" – And resumed the reading.

[…]

"Hi guys. Are you ready? – Asked Alexander as soon as he saw the two guards. Today they didn't have their official uniform. Both had a similar equipment: a standard sword, a bow and a backpack.

Both wore a leather armor. One could even mistake them for two brothers because of their nearly identical clothing.

"Yes!" – They were somehow gloomy.

"Ok, so we can go...!" – Alexander, without loosing any more time, directly went inside the forest. – "By the way, my name is Alexander." – He casually introduced himself.

"Clack! Clack!" – Bone said something, and Alexander introduced him too. – "This skinny guy is Bone."

One of the guards slightly bowed. – "It's my extremely pleasure. I'm Martin Fry."

"And I'm Vlad Zeron." – The other also made and introduction.

"Good. Now, the first thing to do is to kill some small Moon Tryqs." – Suddenly he pointed towards the nearby bush and before the two guards even understood what happened, Bone already dashed towards the victim and mercilessly obliterated the small monster. – "The heart is yours." – Commented Alexander after a questioning "Clack?".

"These guys are easy to slay, but you must still be careful. They shot some sort of energy rays which drain vitality from your bodies…In the bestiary was written that they use it during the growing period to accumulate energy…"

Alexander made a little introduction about Tryqs. – "Now, in that bush over there, there is one of them. Go, and kill him."

Martin and Victor, carefully advanced towards their target. *Shwish* The bush suddenly moved, and they jolted from the fright. Alexander could only sigh. He decided to start the hunt early in the morning exactly to slightly train these two.

Suddenly Martin roared and jumped, stabbing with his sword, towards the target. – "SQUIIIICK!!!"

He felt as the sword pierced someone's flesh and stabbed the second time. Suddenly a small tentacle shot towards his leg but Victor, who also finally decided to fight, cut it mid-way.

Another "Squick" was suffocated by numerous stabs and slashes. Both guards seamed mad in this moment.

Alexander silently observed them from some distance. – "Clack, clack clack!"

He nodded. – "Yes. They are not so bad. At least they are fighting…" – The guards returned. Both were smiling. – "We did it! We killed the Class I creature!" – The second part was mostly for themselves, but Alexander still nodded approvingly. – "Yes, good job. The next step is to do in more efficient way."

"I'm sure that you've got some training before becoming guards."

"I think that now its time to put your abilities in practice!"

The went deeper inside the forest.

Suddenly the boy pointed forward. – "Victor, you go and fight the one behind this tree." – Then he looked at Martin and indicated a nearly unnoticeable shadow in the distance. – "That one is yours!"

"GO!" – He shouted after seeing some hesitation written on their faces.

"CLACK!"