Enlisted

Walking down the path, I was worried about my body. Burned and broken I laid panting on Kana's shoulder. "Something is wrong with me, why haven't I started healing yet?" I remembered reading that mana beasts could heal from various fatal wounds but couldn't regenerate limbs. For the next few days I pondered when something occurred to me. Another thing that was different from myself and other mana beasts was that I had to manually run my cultivation or it would stop once I lost focus. On a whim I started up my inate cultivation technique and I immediately started feeling better, my breath started to even out and the lighter wounds started to heal at a visible rate. I Cried out in pain as my bones set them selves back into place and the itching on my skin must have been the burns healing. I fell off of Kana groaning as my body righted itself, it was like getting best but this time the enemy was breaking me back into fighting shape.

Evidently Snow Fox's have really good regeneration and movement skills but I think my attacks are lacking. The only time I hurt the bear was when I clawed his eye out or bit a chunk of his arm off, my ice element did nothing. How ever I was able to enhance my speed with ice and create paths in water, my small sized helps with hiding and avoiding damage.

After a few moments I stood up good as new I coughed up blood from internal injuries before looking up at a worried Kana. I just shook my body and stretched, I sighed in relief before jumping back onto Lana's shoulder. "Now I should be able to protect her again." I looked down and noticed she was still barely dressed and I pondered for a while before flexing my aura.

For the next few hours as we walked I tried to use ice to make clothes but they always melted in the sun and were to stiff to wear and Kana complained about the chill. So I gave up on that idea and just practiced with my aura, I found that I could create a fog or mist at certain levels of cold. They faded quickly when I released them but I could make them into any shape I pleased. They were wispy and clearly looked like a cloud, as a test I tried to make Kana and found out that it was very hard, I had to mold her face with crystal ice and use fog to fill it to keep it aloft, the rest like arms and legs had to be done the same and I especially made an ice puppet of kana but it was clear that other than a decent ice sculpter it had little use.

Instead I tried wrapping Kana in a mist that resembled a sundress, using small ice crystals as decoration I managed to craft her a simple white dress that had diamond like snowflake designed on it. It was purely cosmetic but it hid Kana's exposed body.

It took all my concentration to maintain, so while we walked it apeared I was asleep as I manipulated the fine fog. I figured this would be good as both a method of training and as a short term fix to one of our unfortunate issues.

By the end of the the first day we camped out on a small hill in the middle of a clearing just off the side of the road. Nothing really bothered us and we haven't seen a single person for a while, not since we left the lake. After we woke up, we traveled a while longer until we made it out of the woods.

Across from us was a large city state that neither of us recognized. The design of the city was clearly different from the one we left before. The biggest difference was the castle sitting dead center of the city where the academy would have sat in out home.

As we headed to the walls we were halted by a small group of horsemen, who encircled us.

"Refugees from the beast swarm." he said more as a fact then a question. Before Kana could reply however the man continued "As was stated by the king of our nation all refugees from the south must serve in the protection of our great nation for two years before you are given citizenship" he stated bored before mumbleing to his fellows "What is this so fse the seventeenth stranger today?"

"This is the twenty third sir" a man said

"Right thank you" the leader said back "You there come with us and we will provided you with food and a place to rest for the day and paper work will be provided during that time and you will be assigned to a squad." he looked at me "Your clearly a summoner so you have some schooling atleast"

Kana unable to get a word out was led to the city as if she agreed, flabbergasted we were sent to a room, seconds later fed and given new clothes.

At this time we were finally able to stop someone to talk to.

"Ma'am what is going on?" the lady stopped and stared at us

"What do you mean didn't you offer your services to the city of Zegna in exchange for residential accommodation and food?

"No me and my familiar were lost in the woods after I was taken out of the capital city of Tormok"

"Oh dear don't you know? The city was razed to the ground, many refugees have fled from the country as powerful Saint level mana beast led a massive army to all of the major cities of your country."

Kana remained silent "The king and his counselors have decided to help those who have lost there home but decided that it would only be fair for those seeking refuge to work to protect their new home." She took a breath "all those who are physically fit must serve at least two years as a soldier in order to protect not only our nation but your selves incase the mana beasts decided to attack another country. This declaration was passed down not only to the refugees but to the citizens of Zegna. If you don't plan to stay and protect the city than you should leave quickly, they don't like free loaders"

Kana's eyes flashed silver for a moment before she spoke "We will remain and serve the two year sentence, if you can provided proof of Tormok's fall" the lady just nodded

"Of course I'll go and get the Headmaster of the academy, he has been a great help in the migration period. This wouldn't be the first time someone's asked for verification. I'll be back shortly" She headed off as Kana's eyes flashed blue.

"Why do you do that Setsuna, we need to get home"

"We need to get stronger, we almost died a few days ago. Besides if what the maid said was right then we don't have a home to return too and even headmaster is here. Let's wait, thus could be a good opportunity" her eyes flashed blue just as the door open revealing headmaster William.

"Ah Kana" he rushed in and picked her up into a hug "I'm glad to see that you're alright, we thought you had died in the city" he set her down before I was picked up and given a hug too "Don't think I forgot about you little white." I snorted at him.

He sat down," tell me what happened to you" after we relayed our story the headmaster was visibly shaking with anger. "I will deal with this at once. I'll let the guards know to look for a man with a scared eye or a massive bear with a lightnong affinity." he got up and walked out just as the maid came back with tea. She looked upset but settled for pouring Kana some instead.

" I didn't realize the headmaster held you in such high regards. He's usually much more distant with people he talks too." She left the pot on the table "Please help yourself, I'll be back with the paper work on your enlistment." and she headed off.

She quickly returned to see me drinking from the tea, Kana spat it out in disgust but I found it almost nostalgic. It also didn't help that what the main called black tea was actually coffee, of course the common people would find it nasty but I always like mine black so I was more than happy to polish it off.

The maid came over and snatched the cup and kettle from the table, very rudely I might add. "Didn't anyone teach you manners lass." I replied by freezing the coffee in the containers and snorting a cold wind up the maids skirt. The dance she performed from the chill air made Kana giggle. At this point the maid was furious and raced her hand to smack Kana across her face, at that I was no longer just playing around.

A pulse of killing intent ruptured across the room as I stared daggers at the maid who froze mid swing. Kana seeing this paled but Setsuna soon took her place and stood up facing the maid. She instead slapped the maid who was going to strike her "Little White is no mere pet lady." Setsuna said so quietly that it was almost a whisper "matter of fact I bet he's smarter than you are. He is a guest just as much as I. The tea did not sit well with me so I offered it to my companion here who obviously enjoyed it. You however insulted us with your attitude and that little prank was the consequence to that. But we have had a really shitty week getting kidnapped, living in the forest, hunted by monsters and creatures of all kinds only to get dragged into this city. Where I was told my home I lived in was gone, that I'm forced to join your army or get kicked out and now you. You should probably leave before my stress reaches it maximum" She shooed the maid away who quickly scattered. Kana's eyes flashed blue and she fell into the seat she was in before but said nothing. I felt through our link that she has resigned herself to these out burst and felt it was a waste of time asking Setsuna to stop.

As she sulked I jumped up and began reading the contract left by the maid.

It was straightforward and direct with no confusing clauses that could be interpreted differently based on point of view. It was a universal contract meant for all walks of life. I looked through all the clauses. "Merchants, farmers and city service workers with out prior training will receive 10 silver a week and until training is over 6 silver will be deducted for training costs. Trained civilians must undergo a compency test to skip the training process. Training can last upto 3 months." reading through it all I reached the section that partained to Kana and Setsuna.

"Mages with training in cultivation will receive payment based on cultivation level and competency starting at 25 silver and up to 50 gold. Those with familiar will receive an additional pay equal to their cultivation level. If training for combat is required, 8-18 silver will be deducted and training can take up to 4 months. During this time both you and your familiar will participate."

I nodded this was a good contract at a bare minimum we will be receiving 25 silver weekly which is enough to cover to feed a family a whole month. Since we are at the highest level in our cultivation bracket we should receive more than that. I wasn't sure of Lana's or Setsuna's combat training but it would be safe to say they have none.

It would also be good for me as the best I can accomplish right now is blindly throwing my power around and relying heavily on my instincts to shape it how I want. Just making Lana's dress incapacitated me as it required my entire focus.

I pushed the contract towards Kana and she signed it trusting my judgment. By the end of the two years we will be given a plot of land to farm or we have the option to buy a house if we saved our money. I'll need to convey this to her when I can but for now we have to go through there assessment and most likely be assigned to a training program.

A butler came to see us this time instead of the maid and took us to our bunk room where Kana shared a room with four other girls around her age and I'll have to admit that after all the screaming was over and the cuddling and petting began after they saw me, I was going to love it here.