Alistair knelt beside Buddy, eyes narrowed, mouth set in a grim line.
The hellhound lay sprawled beside the camp, sides heaving with slow, furnace-hot breaths. Its fur was slick with blood and soot, deep gouges along its flanks still oozing faint trails of black ichor. One ear twitched with every breath, and its eyes remained half-lidded, molten gold dim but wary.
Alistair hovered over him like an anxious, sleep-deprived mother hen.
“Okay, that one’s not too deep,” he muttered, inspecting a ragged slash near Buddy’s ribs. “But that one Buddy, what were you thinking? You can’t bite a stone bear. You’ll ruin your perfect teeth.”
Buddy gave a low groan, more smoke than sound.
“I know, I know. You’re a brave boy. But brave and dumb isn’t a long-term survival strategy.”
Kael peeked out from behind a toppled tree trunk, eyes wide, dagger white-knuckled in his grip.
“He talks to it,” Kael whispered hoarsely to no one in particular. “Like it’s a puppy. A puppy.”
Thessaly, seated cross-legged by the fire, glanced at him. “It’s working, isn’t it?”
Kael stared. “That thing ATE a hydra-head two hours ago!”
Brimma stormed over, arms crossed, expression dark.
“Move,” she snapped at Alistair.
He looked up, all innocence. “Why?”
“Because you’re fussing like a clucking hen and you’re in my way.”
Alistair gasped, offended. “I am providing vital emotional support.”
“You are hovering. There’s a difference.”
He sat back reluctantly, still eyeing Buddy with protective pride. “He’s very sensitive, you know.”
Buddy didn’t so much as blink.
Brimma knelt beside the beast, grumbling under her breath. Her staff was set carefully within reach, just in case. From one of her many pouches, she pulled out a small tin and a bundle of herbs that looked more like dried weeds and fungus than medicine.
She crushed them between her fingers, mixing them quickly with a bit of thick green paste she scooped from the tin. The resulting concoction smelled faintly of sulfur and something sharper, like burnt moss.
“This won’t do much,” she muttered, voice clipped. “But your oversized hearth-spawn has excellent regeneration. Infernal body. Won’t bleed out unless something tears him in half.”
The moment she reached forward to smear the paste onto one of the deeper gashes along Buddy’s ribs, the hellhound’s body tensed. A low, vibrating growl rolled through its chest, molten eyes narrowing.
Alistair snapped his fingers. “Buddy, stay. No gnome snacks.”
[Verbal Command – Compliance Successful]
Buddy gave a final grumble but stilled, though his tail twitched once like an embered whip.
Brimma didn’t even flinch. “Hmph. If he so much as singes a hair, I’m taking a tooth as payment.”
Alistair smiled. “He won’t. He’s a perfect angel. Aren’t you, Buddy?”
Buddy’s throat rumbled again.
Brimma shook her head and got back to work, smearing the foul-smelling paste along the worst of the wounds with precise, if hesitant movements.
“Hmm,” she grunted. “At least the infernal body regenerates slower than a vampire, or you’d have been crispy inside this fur coat by now.”
Alistair frowned. “Hey! No crispy talk around him. He’s been through enough.”
Brimma gave him a long look. “You’ve been through enough. This one?” She jabbed a thumb at Buddy’s side. “This one’s a walking death machine. He’ll outlive all of us if you don’t screw this up.”
Buddy rumbled softly.
Alistair smiled proudly. “See? He agrees.”
Kael’s voice floated over from his hiding spot. “I don’t trust it. It’s biding its time.”
“It’s laying down, Kael,” Thessaly said dryly.
“Laying down like a coiled snake! Look at it!”
Alistair leaned back, grinning. “You’re just jealous.”
Kael shot him a wild look. “Jealous?! Of what?! Your oversized murder dog?!”
“Of our bond,” Alistair said smugly.
Kael groaned and ducked further behind the tree.
Brimma sighed. “He’s stable enough. He’ll need rest. And proper care.” She turned her glare on Alistair. “Which means feeding him properly, not treating him like a trophy.”
Alistair nodded solemnly. “Of course. Only the finest raw steaks. And maybe some belly rubs.”
Buddy huffed a burst of smoke.
Brimma stood, wiping her hands. “You’re impossible.”
“You’re envious.”
She gave him a look that could peel bark.
Thessaly stood, stretching. “We have a few hours left of this ‘safe’ window. We should rest. While we can.”
Alistair looked at Buddy, who blinked slow and heavy, tongue lolling faintly.
“You heard the lady,” Alistair whispered. “Rest. You earned it.”
Buddy let out a low, contented rumble that vibrated through the scorched earth.
Kael peered over his log. “I am not sleeping next to that.”
Alistair patted Buddy’s flank. “Oh, he’ll keep you safe.”
“He’ll eat my face!”
“Semantics.”
Kael retreated to the far edge of the camp with purpose.
He slung his bedroll down behind the largest piece of shattered log he could find, muttering curses the entire way.
Then he lay down flat, bow across his chest, one hand resting on an arrow as if that would help when the hellhound inevitably decided to roast him alive in his sleep.
Buddy tracked him lazily with glowing eyes, tail thumping once against the dirt.
Kael twitched.
“I’m watching you,” he muttered.
Buddy exhaled a puff of smoke in reply.
Brimma finished her work and wiped her hands on a rag, grumbling to herself. She curled up beneath a thick knot of roots and branches, pulling her cloak tight and jabbing her staff into the ground beside her like a ward.
She didn’t say goodnight.
She never did.
Alistair lingered near Buddy a while longer, sitting cross-legged by the massive hound’s side, absentmindedly scratching along its uninjured flank.
“You are entirely too perfect,” he whispered. “Kael’s just jealous.”
Buddy made a low, contented wuff, eyes drifting half-closed.
“Good boy.”
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He almost stayed there.
But then...
A soft chuckle.
He turned.
Thessaly sat near the fire, arms resting over her knees, watching him with a small, amused smile.
“You’re very attached already,” she said.
Alistair sighed dramatically. “How could I not be? He’s adorable. Murdery, but adorable.”
Thessaly’s smile deepened, eyes sparkling faintly in the firelight.
Alistair hesitated for a moment longer, then sighed again, patted Buddy one last time, and pushed himself up.
“Don’t eat Kael,” he whispered as he passed the beast.
Then he dropped onto the ground beside Thessaly with a grunt.
They sat in companionable silence for a moment.
Then...
[Soul Insight Triggered]
Target: Thessaly
Prediction: High likelihood of future significance.
Soulbinder compatibility confirmed.
Bond Status: Potential – Awaiting Consent.
Alistair stared at the text.
His stomach sank.
He closed the notification with a sigh.
Thessaly noticed.
Her gaze sharpened, voice soft. “What’s wrong?”
Alistair hesitated.
Then, for once, he decided not to dance around it.
“You’re about to think I’m crazier than usual.”
Thessaly tilted her head slightly. “Try me.”
He exhaled. “I’m a Soulbinder. That’s not a secret. But it’s not a simple thing. I can’t just bond with anyone I want.”
She nodded slowly, listening.
“My trait… chooses.” He tapped his chest. “People whose fates are tied to mine. People who will matter. For better or worse.”
Thessaly’s brows lifted slightly. “And me?”
Alistair looked at her evenly. “It seems… yes.”
Another small smile tugged at her lips. “You sound like you regret it.”
“I don’t,” he said honestly. “But it complicates things. Brimma’s bound. Kael too. It helps in battle, sure. But it also…” He paused, then gave a dry laugh. “It also means I care. Whether I want to or not.”
She studied him for a long moment. Then said quietly, “I don’t mind.”
That caught him off guard.
“You don’t?”
“I joined you because I chose to,” she said simply. “I knew the risks. And if this bond helps us survive what’s coming… then so be it.”
Alistair stared at her for a beat longer, then shook his head with a rueful smile.
“You’re all insane,” he said softly. “And somehow I keep ending up leading the asylum.”
Thessaly chuckled again.
Alistair leaned back on his elbows, staring up at the scorched sky.
“I hate fate,” he muttered.
“Good,” Thessaly said. “That means you’ll fight harder.”
The fire cracked softly between them.
Alistair leaned back beside Thessaly, her words still hanging in the air:
"I don’t mind."
He gave a small, crooked smile but then his vision shimmered again.
Another notification.
[Soulbinder Trait – Activation Triggered]
A soul of rare resonance has entered your sphere. This essence is linked by fate, not proximity.
Traits Compatible: Yes
Role Potential: Unknown
Warning: Souls connected in this way often share intertwined destinies. Once formed, this link cannot be easily broken.
[Ability: Soul Insight – Passive Activated]
You sense that this soul will play a pivotal role in your future.
Current Target: Significance – High
Alignment – Unknown
Effect – Undetermined
[Ability: Soul Bond]
You may now initiate a bond between your soul and another.
Bond effects at current level:
? Passive awareness of partner’s general location
? Limited sharing of attributes, skills, and resistances
? Permanent, unbreakable tether
Note: Soulbonds are rare. They often emerge not by choice, but by alignment of purpose.
[Do you wish to initiate a Soulbond with this individual?]
[Yes] / [No]
Alistair stared at the prompt.
He exhaled slowly, eyes flicking to Thessaly, who watched him with her usual calm.
No fear. No hesitation.
“Of course you don’t mind,” he muttered. “You’re braver than the rest of us.”
A small smile curved her lips. “You’re not the first predator I’ve had to coexist with.”
“That’s both flattering and ominous,” Alistair said dryly.
She chuckled softly. “You’re better than most. So far.”
“Oh gods, don’t say things like that. You’ll ruin my reputation.”
Thessaly leaned back, golden-green eyes flickering with amusement. “Too late.”
Alistair exhaled again, tension bleeding from his shoulders.
He reached up, flexed his fingers once, then mentally selected:
[Yes]
[Soulbond Initiating...]
A faint pulse echoed through his chest, green and gold, warm and steady.
The tether formed. Solid. Unbreakable.
[Soulbond Established – Thessaly of the Hollow]
[Soulbound Effects Gained]
+2 Earth Magic Levels
+2 Intelligence
Skill Gained: Thorncall (Level 1)
Trait Gained: Forestmarked
- Nature-based creatures are less hostile toward you.
- Minor passive resistance to poison and disease.
- Faint green tattoos may manifest when using Earth Magic.
[Thorncall – Level 1 Ability Unlocked]
[Thornspike] (Active)
Description: Summon a poisoned thorn at a target location.
Effect: On hit, applies a random natural debuff: Venom, Spore Cloud, Root Paralysis, or Fungal Blindness.
Minor physical + nature damage.
Cooldown: 15 seconds.
The pulse faded but the bond remained.
He felt it.
A faint presence in the back of his mind, not a voice, not words. Just… a thread of awareness. Like knowing the sun would rise.
Thessaly’s head tilted slightly. "That was... interesting."
Alistair blew out a breath. “Well. No takebacks now.”
She smiled faintly. “Did you expect me to?”
He looked at her sidelong. “Most sane people would.”
Her smile deepened. "That explains the company you keep."
Alistair laughed softly, shaking his head. "Gods. This is getting complicated."
Thessaly leaned forward, elbows on her knees. "Good. Complicated things live longer."
Alistair ran a hand through his hair, still feeling the faint thrum of new power in his blood.
"You're sure you're okay with this?" he asked one last time.
Her gaze met his. Steady. Certain.
"I said I chose this, Alistair," she said simply. "I meant it."
He smiled, warm despite himself.
“Then welcome to the madness.”
A loud, rattling snort from Buddy, a fresh burst of smoke rolling into the night air.
Alistair glanced back at his massive companion, grin returning. “Look at him. He approves.”
From behind the rock, Kael’s voice rose, high-pitched and faintly desperate: “That thing does not approve! That thing is waiting for me to blink!”
Alistair called out cheerfully, “Don’t worry, Kael. We’re all family now. Right, Buddy?”
Buddy let out a low wuff, embers glowing in his mouth.
Kael made a faint whimpering sound and hugged his bow tighter.
Thessaly laughed quietly. “You do collect strange companions.”
Alistair smirked. “Look who’s talking. You just bonded with a bloodsucker.”
Her smile didn’t fade. “I can handle you.”
“Careful,” Alistair said with mock gravity. “You’re going to make me like you.”
“Maybe that’s part of the bond.”
He glanced sideways. "So. I have to ask, what did you get from me?"
Thessaly smiled slightly. “A pleasant surprise.”
Alistair arched a brow. “Do tell.”
[Soulbound Effects Gained – Thessaly of the Hollow]
+5 Agility
Skill Gained: Light Magic (Level 1)
Trait Gained: Bloodwoven Renewal
- Passive regeneration slightly increased.
- Wounds clot faster.
- Minor resistance to bleed effects.
Thessaly’s smile widened a fraction. “Light Magic. One level. And... this Bloodwoven Renewal trait. I can already feel it working.”
Alistair let out a low whistle. “See? I’m useful.”
A voice cut in from the other side of the camp.
“That’s not fair!”
Kael stomped around his rock, arms flailing. "Brimma gets Earth Magic! Thessaly gets Light Magic! I get... the gambling skill!"
Brimma cracked an eye open. “Because you’re a degenerate.”
Kael pointed at her. “It’s a viable lifestyle!”
Alistair grinned. “Kael, you got the most you skill imaginable.”
“That’s not the point!” Kael snapped. “I want magic! Real magic! Not dice tricks!”
Alistair leaned back, smug. “Should’ve leveled charisma instead of paranoia.”
Kael glared at him. "This whole bond system is rigged."
Brimma snorted. “Life is rigged. The bond just reminds you.”
Alistair stretched, a thought striking him. "Speaking of which..."
He stood, lifting a hand.
"I haven’t tried my new toy yet."
He focused, calling the new skill forward.
[Thornspike – Activated]
The ground nearby shuddered. A sharp crack sounded as a thick, jagged thorn burst upward from the soil, spiraling with green-black energy. It punched through a half-burnt log, which exploded into splinters.
A cloud of faint green spores drifted outward.
Debuff Applied: Spore Cloud – Target slowed, minor sleepiness.
Buddy’s head shot up.
The hellhound stalked over, tail swaying, glowing eyes fixed on the now-empty space where the thorn had vanished.
Alistair laughed. “No, Buddy. Not food.”
The beast sat, huffing, clearly disappointed.
Kael gaped. “You get new magic, too?!”
Alistair gave him a wicked grin. “Apparently.”
“I hate this bond.”
Brimma finally sat up, rubbing her face. "Of course he bonded with another one. At this rate he’ll collect the entire Arena."
Alistair beamed. “Gotta catch ‘em all.”
Kael groaned into his hands. “Gods. Just kill me now.”
Buddy leaned over and gave a loud, sulfurous snort in Kael’s direction.
Kael screamed and ran behind another log.
Alistair grinned wider.
“Good boy.”
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