“That’s what friends do, right?”
Being there for each other in need. Spending time together, sparring with one another, and exploring the world outside the Bastion.
I swallowed, ignoring the discomfort. Exploring Rizarn sounded exhilarating, but also scary. Fighting was frightening.
Just thinking about fighting—killing—made me shudder, especially after using the gym’s combat simulation program for the first time. Everything had been so real. The smell of blood was still in my head, but so were the pained, desperate shrieks of the thrashing pig as I’d pierced it.
There had been so much blood… so much pain.
I shuddered, but I knew there was no way around it. Someone had to fight the beasts outside the dome, and I was tired of depending on others.
No matter how safe it looked within the Bastions, the truth couldn’t have been more different. I had been aware of the dangers lurking outside, but gaining more access to the ethernet had shown me all I needed to know about mankind’s standing in Rizarn’s hierarchy – our rank in the food chain.
Our situation did not look great. If it had been any different, we wouldn’t have lost two Bastions in the last decade.
Mankind wouldn’t have been forced to retreat into the Bastions in the first place.
Surely, if we had been higher in the food chain in Rizarn, we would have been left with more than thirteen Bastions.
A life of peace would be great, and I could do that—live a life in peace with my parents. But was it truly peaceful when one had to hide behind others, seek cover in the Bastion, hoping their Bastion wouldn’t be the next to join the records of the Collapse?
Sure, I could be like many others and do something helpful to support others. To strengthen humanity without having to fight. Maybe even become a Beaster once all financial issues had been taken care of.
I had many options now that my body was no longer an issue. Nonetheless, I would have to rely on the strength of others—more so than before.
I didn’t like that. I… wanted to be the one others could rely on. Lean on in times of need.
It was ambitious—maybe even arrogant—to think like that. Most importantly, however, it was something anyone could say. Even someone who had yet to see the world outside the Bastion’s protective dome.
One step at a time. Let’s see how my first hunt goes first.
My eyelids grew heavier despite my desire to stay awake, and I barely managed to store the Soilback egg away, pushing it into my World, before the embrace of sleep enveloped me.
***
It had been a few days since the grain-sized World had expanded to the size of my thumb. Using ether refinement methods had been a game changer, but so had the bond with the Soilback egg. Even though the unhatched Soilback had yet to empower me physically, a portion of its power was already feeding me, nourishing both my World and my soul energy.
At this point, my World was growing every day—not by much, but the growth was clearly noticeable nonetheless. Yet, as much as my World was growing, I found myself lacking. As our bond grew firmer, I caught glimpses of the Soilback’s feelings—its demands.
It was impatient, and so was I. We both wanted to see it hatch, to see each other eye to eye, and to grow stronger alongside. Little did I know that our emotions would amplify one another, transforming the days of Daniel’s hellish training into days of pain, suffering, and madness-driving impatience.
Daniel was certain the egg would hatch soon, but he didn’t say why. That demon of a friend just smiled at me and pushed me harder than ever. Maybe that was for the best. After all, it wouldn’t be long before we would leave the Bastion to hunt once the Soilback hatched. Still, I couldn’t help myself—I cursed Daniel every night until my body shut down.
A few more weeks was all that separated me from the day. The day I would risk it all—gambling with my life on the line.
Was that really worth it? My parents would definitely say it wasn’t. They would cuss me out and lock me up the moment I were to tell them about my plan. Good thing I never mentioned it. After all, this was something I had to do. To decide.
And it was worth it in my opinion. Helping my parents financially was one thing, but this was also something I had to do for myself. To show everyone that I was not a loser. That I was no longer a cripple. That I deserved to be a Blessed and that I could fight for myself.
That... I deserved to be alive, and that I didn’t need others to bend over backwards to accommodate me.
Once fully awake, I sat upright with my eyes still shut tightly.
The soul energy in the World was fully replenished. Extracting ether from the World’s core, I intertwined it with the twinkling particles using swift, experienced movements. My attention drifted to the Soilback egg occupying the majority of my World and all of my soul energy. Maybe I should have gotten used to seeing the muddy egg at this point, but I was still smiling like a fool whenever I looked at it.
The Soilback could feel my emotions, and it reciprocated them with a wave of excitement and impatience.
It won’t be long, buddy. Just a little bit longer, and you will—
My smile froze for a moment as I pushed the last thread of energy into the World core.
Something was different today. The World rippled and... cracked?
A shudder riveted through my entire body, and my hair stood on end. Unsure what was happening, I could only wait and watch as the World expelled the Soilback egg. I opened my eyes in a hurry and caught the beast egg, only to feel a pulse—warm and soothing—spread through my palm. A clump of dirt trickled onto my blanket a moment later.
“Did...” Goosebumps spread through my entire body. “Did you just move?”
Something within me stirred again, and the beast egg was moving. Weakly, but I caught it wiggling.
“Is it time?” I exclaimed, scrambling out of bed, not daring to look away from the beast egg. I cupped it overly cautiously with both hands and rushed to my desk to lower it even more cautiously into a cushioned box which we had prepared for the little troublemaker. Specks of dirt fell from the beast egg as it wiggled again—stronger this time. The Soilback moved vigorously and pushed firmly against the inside of the shell.
It moved relentlessly, yet the eggshell didn’t break right away. My hand moved before I could think, and my fingers were about to reach the little egg when I recalled Daniel’s warning: never interrupt a hatching beast. Why? I had no idea, and Daniel didn’t seem certain either. But since he’d mentioned that it could damage the bond if a Blessed were to help their Soulkin hatch, I waited—impatiently.
I didn’t even notice the cold sweat drenching my back or the river of sweat pouring down my temples as I tuned out everything that had nothing to do with the Soilback.
It couldn’t have been more than a minute or two, but it felt like an eternity until I saw a tiny crack. Euphoria filled my entire being, and I failed to tell apart who was feeling like that. Was I overjoyed, excited, and proud of the Soilback as the crack expanded, or did all those emotions belong to the Soilback?
Does it matter?
It didn’t.
Holding my breath, I watched the little fighter break down the egg. The crack expanded until it covered most of the surface before it caved in. A clump of mud burst apart, and I lowered my worn body to take a glimpse through the hole.
And bright yellow reptilian eyes that glittered as bright as his golden soul energy greeted me on the other side.
“Hello there,” I greeted my Soulkin, seeing the tears streaking down my face in the reflection of the newborn Soilback’s eyes. “Welcome to the Savier family. I’m Adam.”