Capítulo 26: Hell-flame Fox
Jack's train of thought came to a screeching halt. "Bowser has a pure ancient bloodline?"
"Yeah, kid. Now I wish you hadn't shot the other one," said Rydel, shaking his head in disbelief.
Bowser's eyes dulled a little when Rydel made that comment, so Jack petted him and tried to comfort him. "I'm sorry buddy, you know I didn't mean to kill your mom."
"Hey kid, didn't that pup eat every single bone that night?" asked Rydel.
"Yeah, what of it? He's got a crazy appetite but that's normal for him."
"That's not what I'm getting at. You and I both know where that meat came from and it may have affected that pup's bloodline, right?" said Rydel.
Immediately, Jack understood Rydel's logic and nodded. It was common practice in "A Hero's Tale" to feed your beast companion the bones and meat of its own kind. By doing that, they were able to increase the strength of their bloodline. He looked again at the confused Bowser, who was trying to follow the conversation the best he could.
"Hey Bowser, do you know where that first meal came from?" Jack's question got the fox to shake its little head. Hesitant, Jack continued, "The meat and bones were your mother's. Rydel had taken your mom's body and prepared it for dinner while I followed after you to that giant snake's nest."
Jack waited for Bowser to snarl and bite him in anger but was shocked to see Bowser's eyes start to water.
While many knew that it was a way to make your beast companion stronger, most people wouldn't think that it was a natural occurrence in the beast world. Little did they know that rather than have a funeral, feasting upon the flesh of the fallen was how most ancient breeds believed the fallen spirit could go on to protect those who had consumed its body. For Bowser, his instincts told him that his mother would forever be with him to strengthen him.
Bowser leaped back onto Jack's shoulder and began to lick him uncontrollably, catching both Jack and Rydel off guard.
"That's great!" Jard had looked up from the old book when he heard Jack's conversation with Bowser. "According to this book, most ancient breeds wouldn't perform burials. Instead, they had funeral feasts where they consumed the corpse to preserve the bloodline and strengthen others."
"Seriously!?" The duo yelled at the same time.
Jard nodded and dove his head back into the old, dusty book in search of something.
Jack couldn't help but be glad that what he thought might be gruesome and cruel was customary to ancient beasts. Not knowing about the spiritual purpose behind the funeral feasts, Jard and them wouldn't have been able to guess that Jack and Bowser would grow even closer now.
Bowser knew that Jack had eaten his mother's body, so he assumed that his mother was also protecting Jack. Even Rydel would be treated more warmly by the fox from then on because of this.
"It should be around here," said Jard as his hands slowed and no longer flipped through the pages so rapidly. Jard took a few seconds on each page as he narrowed his search. The two adventurers waited anxiously; it was clear to them that he had to search the old tome to figure out Bowser's bloodline.
A few minutes went by and Jard's eyes went wide as they froze on a particular page. After a few seconds, he swallowed the saliva in his throat and quietly stated, "I think I found it."
Jack hurried to Jard's side and stared at the page. Just like Jard, his eyes became glued to the page as he read the name of Bowser's bloodline. "Hell-flame Fox."
"WHAT!?" Rydel yelled at the top of his lungs when he heard Jack's mumbling.
Jard put his hands up and began to explain, "This fox is hands down the most valuable beast I've ever seen with my own eyes. Anything that can light up three crystals has a decent bloodline and the best modern bloodlines can light up four or maybe five. Some beasts have descendant bloodlines that have branched off of their ancestors. Those beasts can light up six crystals and are typically sought after to be used by the major powers like the Royal Court. If a beast can light up seven, then they are considered to have an ancient bloodline. But lighting up eight… only the true kings of the beast world with the purest of bloodlines can do that. Something like a Hell-flame Fox..."
"But that little pup can't be a genuine Hell-flame Fox? Legends say that Hell-flame Foxes would grow larger than this guildhall." Rydel argued.
The hunter said anything he could think of as a reason to not believe such a powerful, ancient beast was so cute as a pup. He had mentally prepared himself for Bowser to light five crystals and possibly six, but eight was too hard to believe.
"Then, let's read the description," continued Jard. "Hell-flame Fox. Known to be born with an undying flame within their bodies that grows together with the fox.
"No one has gotten close enough to see their true appearance and lived, but fully matured Hell-flame Foxes can create flame bodies bigger than most buildings, giving them extremely destructive power.
"They are one of the most intelligent beasts without question, easily able to understand humans and eventually speak with them. They've only been spotted three times in recorded history. Some mysterious events in history are credited to the Hell-flame Foxes, but no survivors were ever accounted for to confirm the truth."
There wasn't much information given, but Jack and Rydel couldn't deny that it was nearly identical to Bowser. Listening carefully, Bowser nodded his head as if to confirm that he was indeed a Hell-flame Fox. Seeing this, the three of them could no longer question if it were true.
Jack chuckled to himself and buried his face in his hands.
There was once a rare solo event where a Hell-flame Fox was offered as a reward to anyone who could complete it. The hard part was that it was a one-day, surprise event with little to no explanation. No one even knew what a Hell-flame Fox was, let alone be able to prepare so quickly for a high-level event.
In the end, no one was able to finish the quest because the final boss was a Hell-flame Fox that no one could defeat, not even Jack could, though he got close.
Bowser dropped to Jack's lap and looked up to him. When Jack finally lifted his face from his sweaty palms, he noticed the sincerity in Bowser's eyes. His heart melted not only for Bowser's cuteness but also for the fox's determination to be with Jack.
"Boy, I've got to tell you something." Jard's voice brought them all back to reality. "It's a good thing that the prince stopped you at the royal office. If the Royal Court had learned there was an ancient beast within their borders, especially if it were a baby Hell-flame Fox, they would do anything to get their hands on it. If they could raise it as a weapon, not a single nation would willingly war with them."
Hearing that, Bowser grunted in displeasure and puffed out his chest.
Everyone got a laugh from the proud fox and the atmosphere began to lighten.
Jard continued, "Let me help you kid. According to the book, no one has ever seen a Hell-flame Fox outside of its flame body, so no one can tell what it looks like. I'm going to report it as a new descendent level bloodline based on the ancient Inferno Fox. That way it's more believable yet far enough from the truth to avoid most problems. The Royal Court will still try to get their hands on it, but thanks to your membership in the Adventurers Association, I'm sure the association will be willing to step up and protect something so valuable that's already in their lap."
"He's right," said Rydel. "After we finish getting you to lv. 10, we'll head back to Reinolt City and contact HQ. They won't let Bowser get taken, you can bet your life on it."
Jack nodded and brushed through Bowser's lush fur coat with his hand. "If you're so powerful, then how come your mother died from a simple arrow?"
Bowser's expression became grim and filled with contempt. Jack could tell that a lot had happened to Bowser before Jack was lucky enough to meet him. Sadly, at the moment he had no way to fully communicate with the fox pup. Jack set a new goal in his mind, to find a way to communicate with Bowser. Whether it was by finding an item, sufficient leveling for Bowser, or anything else, it didn't matter to Jack.
"What do we do about the beast seal? I think me and Bowser can have a mutual seal even," asked Jack.
"Forget about paying for the test. That test never happened, okay?" claimed Jard. "I'll draw up the mutual seal for the both of you and that'll be the only charge."
Smiling, Jack replied, "Thanks Jard, I'm glad to have such a generous friend."
"It's the least I can do for a new friend," said Jard. He was more than willing to wave the expensive test fee to get in the good graces of someone like Jack, whose potential would shake the world. If it were announced that not only did Jack have a Hell-flame Fox as a beast companion, but he had a mutual seal as well, every major power would do anything to either gain Jack's favor or end Jack's life.
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TheSilverQuill Sorry for the late updates. Thanks for following along and voting! Let me know what you think below or if you have any questions.
Capítulo 27: The Mutual Seal
On the side of the bloodline machine were a few different brushes sitting inside a jar of ink. Each had a different sized tip and would be used for various seals. Jard grabbed one of the thinner ones and brushed the excess ink it had on the edge of the jar to keep it from dripping. "Come here you two, and don't move no matter what. The mutual seal is one of the most difficult to draw and even when linking your seals, you must remain still. If not, you will fail and there will be a backlash."
Jack stood and carried Bowser with him as he walked back to the middle table. After putting down Bowser, they both turned and looked at Jard.
"Good, now stick out your right palm Jack and please have Bowser bow his head." Jard's commands were obeyed and the two of them waited for the next instructions. "I will now begin drawing your seals, so be patient as they must be perfect. I've never performed a mutual seal outside of practice, so please be extra patient with me."
Rydel sat down at the side of the room as he was mesmerized by Jard's strokes. They appeared to be long and never-ending, but they were kept within the palm of Jack's hand. After a few minutes and a couple of corrections made by Jard, he faced Bowser with a nervous smile on his face. Understanding Jard's intentions, Bowser bowed his head and calmly waited for Jard to finish.
Amazed by how cooperative Bowser was, Jard chuckled as he began to draw the exact same seal on Bowser's small forehead. This took almost twice as long for Jard to fix his errors and get it perfect, but as time passed Jard eventually lifted his hand.
"Now there's only linking the mutual seals. Jack, press your palm firmly on your fox's head and endure the piercing pain. The seals will activate upon contact and will slowing sink back into your flesh, creating a permanent bond between you two," explained Jard slowly.
Nodding his head, Jack turned back to Bowser and showed a bright smile. Bowser did the same and held his head up high. With a deep breath, Jack lifted his hand and followed Jard's instructions, carefully laying the seal on his palm over the seal on Bowser's head.
Suddenly, pain shot through Jack's hand and into Bower's skull. They both winced as the held strong under the pain. Jack was sweating profusely, using his left arm to brace and support his weakening right arm. The pain felt like it was piercing through his palm and carving out the muscles in Jack's hand. It was the same story for Bowser, only the pain felt like it was carving grooves into his skull.
Both Jard and Rydel swallowed saliva as they saw how painful a mutual seal was.
Everyone always talked about how they coveted a mutual seal, but too few people understood how painful and taxing a mutual seal was.
Most seals had a parent and child seal, binding the child seal to the parent seal. The parent seals weren't too painful and would slowly fade into your skin, but the child seals were typically excruciating.
Those seals were used on beasts and slaves alike, but none of them were as piercing or long-lasting like a mutual seal. The mutual seal had more capabilities that would create an irreversible, mutual bond between the two participating, this was why it took longer and was far more painful.
After five minutes passed the seal had disappeared from Jack's palm and surfaced on the back of his hand.
The pain began to fade as the newly set seal began to disappear within Jack's skin. It didn't take too much longer for the seal to disappear completely and for Jard to speak up. "It's finished, you can relax now."
Jack collapsed to the floor and he sat with his legs crossed. His breathing was scattered, and all his clothes were damp from his sweat.
Bowser laid down on the table and appeared to be napping with his eyes shut.
Glancing at his hand Jack asked, "That's it? What exactly does a mutual seal do?"
"A mutual seal is incredibly rare, and we don't know 100% of its capabilities. What we do know is that now you'll be leveling up together from now on, as if you two share EXP. Also, you can now sense each other's presence and to help find each other no matter the distance. The further away you are, the fainter the feeling but it will be there. Rumors say that as you grow together, eventually you two will be able to communicate telepathically but that might just be rumors." Jard explained it simply and calmly while Jack was gathering his breath.
"Hopefully those rumors are true," said Jack, picturing the conversations he and Bowser would have. "Is there anything else rumors say about mutual seals?"
"Well…" Jard answered hesitantly. "There's only one more that comes to mind, but I think this is just a rumor. A few believe that a mutual seal can allow the two carrying it to have access to each other's bloodlines and abilities. If the rumor were true, you'd be able to gain a piece of the Hell-flame Fox bloodline for yourself over time. And if you cast any magic to protect or empower yourself, you might eventually be able to affect that fox too."
There was no response from Jack, he was too busy imagining how amazing the mutual seal could potentially be. In his heart, he hoped with all his might that these rumors would be proven true with time.
Jack bowed his head and said, "Thank you Jard, you've done so much for me and I have so little to offer in exchange."
"Just cough up three gold. That will cover the cost of the high-tier bestial ink we used to make the seal. And make sure to contact me after you two find my son and the others," replied Jard.
Jack threw the coins as he stood back up. His legs were still a little shaky, but he was able to steady himself and let Bowser climb back onto his shoulder. "Then, for now, let's part as friends. We'll be back once we're done in the mine."
"Thanks," said Rydel, trying not to be forgotten and left out of this new circle of mutual benefits.
"I thank you two and hope the relationship between us can grow. And if there's ever a need, the Balt Guild will support the Adventurers Association no matter the foe, even if it were the crown." Jard's words revealed some of his true intentions and that he might know more from behind the scenes that were unknown to Jack or Rydel.
With a bow of the head, they thanked each other and exited the room. The quiet guildhall was a nice change of scenery, reminding them that they were back in the world and not only in the company of close friends.
The hunter duo exited, leaving Jard in the lobby as he pondered what might come of this new friendship he had sought to create. A young man came up from behind and asked, "Guild Master, where have you been? There are important matters we need to discuss."
"I was busy and couldn't help it. What's the matter?" said Jard.
"Another party has gone missing within the mine. There were no survivors, just like before."
"So, what's so important about that?" asked Jard.
"That party had two lv. 20's while the rest were all above lv. 10," said the man solemnly.
"What?" Jard was startled. He looked back at the closed front door and said, "For now, don't worry about it. I've got my ways of taking care of the situation."
"Sir, what do you mean?" asked the young man.
"Don't worry about it. Just send a message to the elders that the guildhall must be ready to receive more business thanks to the surprise screening. Is there anything else?"
"One last thing," stated the young man as he handed out a small stack of wanted posters. "These are the new wanted posters like you asked sir."
"Good, we've needed extra funds as business continues to decline." Jard started looking through the posters when he stopped and stared at two particular posters. He laughed, "Looks like my hunch was right."
"Sir?" The young man was curious why the guild master would laugh after seeing a wanted poster.
"Make sure that no one tries to detain these two. Anyone who even attempts will lose a week's allowance and receive thirty lashes," said Jard with a beaming smile.
"But sir, those two have the highest bounties of the lot. We're in desperate need of—"
"I'm saying this for the sake of the guild. Anyone who goes after those two will be biting off more than they can chew," explained Jard. "There's also no personal information listed. I know Jack is low leveled, but his potential is beyond incredible and can't be underestimated. And Rydel is lv. 29, even I'd have trouble facing him. The best part is that the Royal Court also forgot to mention that they're members of the association; do you want to deal with people like that?"
The young man stiffened when he heard Jard's explanation. Jard continued, "They may be friends of mine and wouldn't wish to kill any guild members, but I have a feeling most people trying to hunt them down wouldn't survive long enough to reveal any sort of identity. Now go, inform the elders and announce what I've told you."
Frantically, the young man turned and left in a hurry, happy that he wouldn't be tricked by the scent of money to pursue his death.
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