5 Years Later
A young man desperately ran through the forest, twigs and leaves snapping underfoot. His attire was busy — scientific-looking trinkets and bottles hung from his long black jacket, its yellow trim stained brown with mud. In his hands he clutched a bundle of fluorescent mushrooms, their caps bouncing around in sync with his gait.
A bestial roar rang out from the thicket behind, sounds of crashing and splintering echoing through the woods. A brown, boar-like beast emerged from the brush, its mossy fur dotted with fungi.
Ahead stood a thick cluster of trees, the space between them shining with a barely discernible glint. As the boy approached the entrance of the grove, the crashing sounds behind him intensified as the beast caught up.
Listening to the sounds, the boy mentally calculated its distance as he ran.
5 meters, 4 meters, 3 meters, 2 meters, 1 meter….
The tusks of the beast approached his back, and the boy let out a shout.
"Now!"
The boy raised his free hand and a line of thread shot down from above, tying his wrist and yanking him upwards.
The boar creature stormed by underneath, its momentum unstoppable. Belatedly sensing that something was wrong, it tried to cancel its charge, but its inertia carried it forward into the trees.
Standing in the air above, the boy looked down, a sly grin on his face. He raised his arm once again, snapping his fingers dramatically.
Like magic, the lighting shifted and surrounding structures were revealed. An intricate web of silk tied the surrounding trees together, the thick strands interlocking. Like a tightrope walker, the boy stood atop one such strand with steady balance.
The beast, unable to stop, smashed into the web. It broke through several thick cords, the silk unable to fully dampen its charge, but it didn't get far. Its momentum quickly waned and it found itself completely entangled, unable to move.
With a hop, the boy jumped to the ground, cheerfully approaching the beast. The air shimmered next to him, revealing a cute, white spider seemingly from thin air.
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Kanan appraised the creature suspended in front of him. It was a Mushboar, a Tier-2 spirit beast. Despite its appearance it was actually classified as a Plant-class beast, with the main body of the beast being a fungal network that merely took on a boar-like appearance.
There were some arguments among researchers as to whether fungal beasts should fall within the Plant category, but it wasn't important to Kanan. He lacked the equipment to perform that sort of biological research, and it wasn't meaningful to his goals anyway.
The assortment of fungi that covered the beast very much was, however. The mushrooms in his hand were known as Lumicaps, and they only grew on mature Mushboars. He had tried to pluck them off while it slept — the boars were nocturnal creatures — but his plan had gone awry.
Thankfully, he had the presence of mind to set a trap, or else he and Poppy might have had a truly difficult fight on their hands.The little magic show he had put on was one of the fruits of Poppy's training. Despite being a pure Water type beast, the little spider had shown a remarkable aptitude for Light type abilities. This unexpected talent mainly manifested through supporting moves like Light Curtain — completely unable to do damage, but capable of obfuscating Poppy's other attacks or blinding the opponent.
Over the past five years Kanan had explored the Melody Forest extensively, immersed in research on the various flora and fauna that made their home here. It had practically become a second home to him, and he knew the woods like the back of his hands.
There were a few places he hadn't set foot in — the territories of the forest's few High-Tier creatures — but other than what could be found there, he had thoroughly investigated everything else. This fungus, the Lumishroom, was the final resource that he hadn't yet managed to get his hands on.
The Mushboar was a rare creature to begin with, nearly extinct in the wild. The plants that grew upon its body were valuable, and many had been contracted for fungal cultivation or research purposes. In addition to the beast's scarcity, the Lumishroom specifically only grew during the Summer months, so acquiring it took both luck and effort.
If he hadn't found it this year, Kanan would have given up. Sixteen was the minimum age to register as an official trainer, and he and Argana had long decided that this year would be the end of his training.
He quickly plucked what he needed from the Mushboar's coat, not wanting to leave it in distress. He held back from harming the forest's residents whenever possible, unwilling to disturb the ecosystem.
The mentality was win-win for both him and the beasts. Many of the local creatures had become familiar with his presence here, and they tended not to bother him anymore unless provoked. Some of the more battle-hungry ones would even assist him with his training in exchange for beast food or energy pellets.
Finishing his harvest, he stroked the Mushboar's coat, trying to calm it down. From his bag he pulled out a bottle, shaking a few green pellets into his hand and offering them to the beast.
Plant beasts generally didn't need to consume food, as Animal-class beasts do, but they were still able to absorb energy and nutrients. These pellets contained materials rich in Grass and Water elemental energies, and were far more beneficial to Plant-class beasts than what they could absorb through the air or ground.
Poppy hopped on the Mushboar's head, reaching down and deftly untying the threads that covered the beast's face. Incensed, the Mushboar snorted in anger, ignoring the pellets and shaking its head side-to-side.
Poppy puffed her cheeks out, dissatisfied with how the boar was acting towards her tamer. She skittered down its snout, snatching a pellet from Kanan's hand and shoving it into the mouth of the Mushboar.
Feeling the comfortable energy spreading through its body, the Mushboar calmed down. It chewed the pellet, quickly digesting it before looking back to Kanan, eyeing the rest of the treats. Kanan fed the beast the remaining pellets with a wry smile, making sure it was completely pacified before commanding Poppy to set it free.
Released from its bindings, the Mushboar snorted at Kanan one final time and trotted away into the distance.
Kanan didn't mind giving up the pellets, it was a good trade for him. The materials that went into producing them weren't rare, just common plants with their efficacy enhanced through refinement and processing. Making them was a little time consuming, but nothing compared to what he had to go through for a resource like the Lumishroom.
Satisfied, he straightened his jacket and prepared to leave. Poppy jumped up, settling comfortably on his head, and the two of them set off to finish their final experiment in Argana's atelier.
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That night, two humans and two spirit beasts sat around a table, engaged in serious discussion.
"So boy, tell me," Argana pressed. "Any results? This was the material you were most confident in."
Kanan sighed, leaning back into his chair.
"Nothing this time either. Well, almost nothing. Poppy's spiritual energy did react to the Lumishroom, but clearly not in a strong enough way to facilitate evolution."
He looked down regretfully at the spider seated next to him.
"I really thought that Light type energy would be the key. I've explored Water type resources to death, and I'm sure that path is completely closed. A dual-element evolution is all I can think of, but something is still missing."
Argana nodded in understanding, getting up from her chair and shuffling across the room. She opened a drawer, removing an envelope and extracting a letter from it. She returned, placing the letter in front of Kanan.
"Then I suppose that's that, boy. It's time for you to go. Truth be told, I was going to bring this up regardless of your success. This old lady has nothing left to teach you, and your little spider here has reached the limits of the energy she can hold."
"Besides," she continued. "Isn't it about time that you found her another friend?"
Kanan bit his lip, his eyes watery. He had known this day was coming, but that didn't make it any easier. For him, an orphan, Argana had become the closest thing he had to family over the past five years. She was strict, yes, but she was there for him, always acting in his best interest.
She was right, though. He had reached the 2nd Circle long ago, only putting off his second contract because he didn't find any of the local beasts suitable. He was already able to match Argana evenly during their spars, and the piles of books that had once seemed so daunting were gathering dust, long-since read.
"This," she said, pointing at the letter, "is an introduction to an old acquaintance of mine, a professor in Redwind city. Not the most reliable fellow… he's an old quack who spends all his time researching spirit beast abilities. But he owes me one from the old days, he'll take care of you. His name is Quartz."
Despite her harsh words, Argana's eyes betrayed a hint of fondness as she reminisced about her friend.
"I've asked him to arrange you a place to stay, along with a few other things. The arrangements are already set. The merchant caravan will arrive in three days, and you'll be departing alongside them."
Kanan was dumbfounded. It seemed Argana had been planning this for longer than he thought. Three days was barely enough time, he had many things to prepare and he would have to say his goodbyes to the villagers. He wasn't exceptionally close with them but he wouldn't have gotten this far without their generosity. It was a debt he wouldn't forget.
Besides that, he would also have to properly thank Argana. Kanan suspected that she had taken that into account when setting such a short timeframe, in an attempt to avoid an emotional goodbye. He wasn't offended though, he knew the old woman was more sensitive than she let on.
"Now then," Argana clapped her hands together, a familiar gesture. "You don't have time to waste. Decide what you're taking with you and go pack your bags, you'll be busy the next few days. Melle will assist you."
Having said her piece, she quickly escaped, retreating to her room and locking the door behind her. Kanan still had much to say, but she clearly wasn't ready to have that conversation quite yet.
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Three days later, Kanan and Poppy waited at the door, preparing to leave the house for the final time. Argana and Melle stood in front of them, tears in their eyes. The old woman tried to hide it, covering her face with her sleeve, but her trembling lips betrayed her emotions.
Seeing them, Kanan was tempted to turn back. He could cancel his plans, stay with the two of them, and continue this happy and peaceful life. But he knew that was wrong. His spirit wasn't willing to be constrained any longer, and that isn't what Argana would want for him either. He had his own life ahead of him, ready to be lived.
He smiled, his eyes moist but clear, and deeply bowed to the old woman. Beside him Poppy emulated his action, lowering herself.
"Thank you for all this time. These past five years you have given me so much, taught me so much. Without you I would still be that scared, lonely boy from back then. I truly consider you to be my family, from the bottom of my heart."
Argana sniffled in response, tears streaming down her cheeks. Kanan turned towards Melle and gave her a bow as well.
"Of course, thank you as well, Melle. You've always been supporting us. I've been able to live as well as I have thanks to you being such a reliable presence."
"And sorry about all the messes," he added, looking slightly embarrassed. He may have gotten a little too used to having such a competent helper.
Melle smiled, giving him a graceful curtsy and Argana stepped forward, wiping her nose on her sleeve.
"Wait boy, hand me your bag before you leave."
Unable to discern her intentions, Kanan took off his pack and handed it over obediently. Argana received it, taking out a glistening white armband from her pocket with her other hand. Pressing them together, the bag was sucked into the armband, disappearing as if by magic.
"This is a spatial pocket," explained Argana. "It's a good thing, something every accomplished tamer should have. It requires spiritual energy to use, and it's bound to its owner. It will be of help to you when you adventure in the future, you can't very well drag all your belongings around in a Beast Territory."
Kanan was shocked. He knew of spatial pockets, but they were something reserved for the wealthy. Only tamers of at least the 3rd Circle usually carried them. And this one was small, clearly a premium item. The cheapest spatial pockets were in the form of backpacks or satchels, large and clunky.
"This is too mu-"
"Shhh!"
He began to protest, but Argana shushed him, holding a finger to his lips.
"Even if it's a good thing, what's an old woman like me going to do with it? I don't need that sort of thing, there's plenty of space in the house."
Saying such, she moved her hand to the pink marking that decorated the band, dragging her thumb over it. The mark disappeared, leaving the band a solid white. She grabbed Kanan's arm and slipped the accessory onto it.
"There. You can make it your own by dropping a bit of blood onto it. Don't forget to do so, otherwise anyone can open it."
Argana grabbed Kanan's shoulders and spun him around, pushing his back towards the door.
"You can fiddle with it later, boy. It's time for you to go. Don't keep this old woman waiting here all day, I have things to do."
Kanan laughed, knowing she was just embarrassed. He ran down the steps, stopping at the edge of the yard and turning around one final time.
"GOODBYE," he yelled, waving his arm. "THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!"
Melle waved back from the doorway, letting out a cheerful hum. Argana stood beside her, hat pulled down over her eyes.
Silently, she raised her arm in goodbye, Then, unable to take anymore, she ran back into the house, leaving the door ajar. Left behind, Melle gave one final curtsy before turning back herself.
And thus Kanan and Poppy took the first steps on their journey.