RFC-Mini Arc: The Temple-Part 09 (Patreon)

The imp scampers off, quickly disappearing in the growing dark. I watch until she leaps over the stream before giving my attention back to Cloud, who calmly watched our goodbye. “You’ve got me all to yourself now,” I say, putting on my best smile.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to extend our acquaintance.” That unnecessary sincerity is slowly growing on me. “Though I can’t offer much in entertainment.” Another huffy laugh.

“You need to rest. Don’t want you getting killed because I distracted you.”

“Speaking to you is good. A substitute for the battle high. Won’t you tell me another story? If they are as good as your last.”

“Hold on. It’s your turn to talk. Come on. How does someone end up doing…this?”

“Are you asking how I joined the Temple? I was born into the faith. My father is a tamer, my mother a watcher.”

“I don’t know either of those.”

“A tamer is one who lives alongside a companion of their choice, working to further our understanding of the bond between man and beast. They and their companion seek oneness, becoming the peak for all others to strive for.”

I sigh. “Can I get that in normal speak?”

“Ah.” Hm? Dare I suggest her smile turns a bit sheepish. “The tamer picks a monster that has been broken and raises it, learning firsthand about living alongside them. From their insights, they instruct trainers on how to go about training the other members of the species. It is important work, integral to the Temple.”

I see. They’re not the trainers who teach dogs how to hunt, they’re the ones who train the trainers how to train. Heh. “And your mother is a watcher?”

“Her role is self-explaining. She observes wild species and reports back on them. It is mainly to gauge whether they are fit for the Sanctuary but the watchers’ work is also popular amongst the hunter guilds.”

“Are either of them here?” I’d think parents would want to be around while their daughter wrestled a monster. I gaze suspiciously at Bear. Surely not?

“Mother’s work takes her away from the Sanctuary for long periods. Father is busy with other matters. It’s been a long time since my first communion.”

She says so with the slightest prideful tilt of her chin. You have better control over your expressions than most but there’s still a girl inside. Full of energy and ego, huh. Doesn’t want me looking down on her.

“Both sound like better ideas than mud-wrestling fluffy over there.”

She does that huff of a laugh. “I intend to become a tamer like my father but in the Temple, everything is earned. I must stand on a mountain of my accomplishments if I want the faithful to elevate me to the clouds.”

“Why do you talk like that?” Oh, what’s the word? “Metaphors!” Ha, my literature tutors would be proud. “It’s like you’re trying to be vague.”

Her brows furrow slightly. “It’s…simply how we speak.”

Fair enough. “So, uh, should I be afraid to ask what you do for fun?”

“Communions aren’t fun for me. I enjoy riding. The tenders organize races throughout the Sanctuary.”

I blink. “You race through monster-infested lands?”

Her lips purse. “You shouldn’t call them monsters.”

I certainly won’t call them “brothers”. “Beasts? Animals?”

“We do. It makes the races exciting, though there is barely a threat for a skilled rider knowledgeable of their territories. The point isn’t to put ourselves in danger. For many, it’s to make money.”

I can imagine the way my eyes light up. Gambling. Now there’s a proper hobby. I underestimated you, Cloud. “When’s the next race?”

“They’re normally held on Restdays. I’d be happy to bring you but you must bet on me.”

“Depends. Are you any good?”

“Naturally.”

“Oh hoh. Then, a deal. Make me some gold and you can help me spend it.”

She perks up. “You have a deal, Lou.”

“You’re making me nervous agreeing like that.” So, she can get excited by things as well. “What exactly do you have in mind?”

“There’s no going back on your word.” Her features are neutral but her voice holds a distinctive pout.

“I won’t, I won’t. So, make sure you don’t get mauled by the big guy over there.”

“You are quite the worrier.”

We continue to chat until Cloud suddenly goes quiet, gaze snapping to the beast. I don’t see anything different but she rises from her kneeling position. “We’ll have to continue later, Lou,” she mutters without looking away.

“Good luck,” I say. She nods as the beast gets to its feet, ready to continue their struggle.

It’s surprisingly quiet as they come together, it’s attempts to kill her lacking the threatening growls and wildly snapping jaws from earlier. Too tired to be properly ferocious.

Meanwhile, Cloud is the same as ever, holding the creature back while enduring the few scrapes of its claws. I can hear her chanting now without any “adjustments”, but it’s still nonsense. She is doing far better than her opponent, who seems to grow weaker by the minute. By the time the moon is high in the sky, it hardly struggles as she pins it to the ground, an occasional twitch of its hind legs the most it can muster.

On some signal I can’t discern, Cloud suddenly releases the monster and retreats, kneeling in the grass. The camp momentarily bursts into activity as other breakers swarm the Ring, setting up standing torches to light the field. My temporary colleague also jumps into action. Doing the same as me, he scoops up a few posts, throws them over and hurriedly gets to work while looking over his shoulder. Nothing to be suspicious of.

“It will be over soon.”

I turn back to Cloud. She gestures toward the beast. “He has lost the will to fight. Now, he must learn to submit.”

“What happens next?”

“He is not suitable for the ranches. After a little time with the trainers, he will be left to make his place here in the Sanctuary.”

“…you’re doing all of this to let the thing run wild?”

She laughs. “If we don’t establish proper boundaries, the Sanctuary will truly become the wild. The difference is that humans are recognized as the apex predators. This is why you can run along the road without being hunted.”

Oh. That smile she has now reminds me a little of my elf. “Apex predator, huh?” I ask, wood digging into my shoulder as I lean further against the Ring.

Before she can respond, the peace is disturbed by growling. Cloud jumps to her feet, brows heavily furrowed as the beast grows louder. But…there’s something wrong with it.

I’ve seen it angry. Cautious. Even reluctant. All of it involved snarling and snapping. This is different. Less…controlled. The monster throws its head back and forth while it paws the grass restlessly. It takes two steps back and sharply turns, digging its muzzle into the ground before shaking it vigorously and pacing a few more steps.

Very different from it’s scary but targeted aggression from earlier. Not to mention a sudden turn around for a creature that couldn’t stand a few minutes ago.