“What is this?” Asked Allan, not questioning Skoll’s way of storing things.

“No idea.” Skoll answered.

He thought of something. “It reminds me of bandannas that blacksmiths wear. It prevents sweat from getting to eyes.” Allan did not take a close look at the piece of this cloth from before. For the first time, he had seen it, was just a day before, in his father's forge.

“Really? In that case, you should treasure it.” Said Skoll meaningfully.

“Father stored unfathomable wealth inside. How can I get it?” Allan thought to himself. He considered how to question Skoll about it.

“Hop on. Let us continue. It will take longer than I expect.”

Allan took it and put it around his neck like a scarf. Jumped up and continued their journey. Still pondering about it. Allan decided that honesty was the best way.

“Actually, I have seen this banana before.”

“Really? Where?”

“Father’s shop, of course. He put some things inside of it… I don't know how... He did not see me as I looked.” Answered Allan. It was not wrong by any means.

“I see,” Skoll answered. He was a little surprised, as he knew something about it himself.

“Do you have some idea what it could be?” Allan pointed to his neck.

“You will figure it out. Perhaps, someday, you will get a spark of an idea and find out about it. Your father probably described to you something about it. You just don’t remember it.” Said Skoll. He tried to sound vague as possible to not help Allan too much. He respected Clayton’s decision to not teach his son much. His intentions were not clear to him, although it was just counterproductive in the grand scheme of things he had seen. In true fashion of an incredible beast, he had his fair share of experience of the bigger world as well.

“Spark? Do I need to find my own Spark?” Allan was lost in thought. He interpreted the things Skoll said in a good way. Not sure if it was intentional or not, but this lead could at least make some sense.

“Ahem, Alright then. Thank you.” Allan nodded to himself. It would probably take a while to figure out anything Spark related.

“You don’t have to thank me. I don't agree with the stuff your father is doing at all. Try to live your life as best as you can get. Train and perhaps you could help your father.”

Allan nodded in approval. For himself, then anything else.

“Do you want something else? Are perhaps hungry?” Asked Allan. As he opened his bag on his side, he shuffled through it in a search of some food.

“No, I am not. I can go on without a meal for weeks.”

As he ran, Allan tossed a piece of smoked pork leg into the air before Skoll.

“I said no…” Skoll barked at him.

Munch!

“Damn..” Skoll couldn’t stop himself. He wondered how long time ago he had food like this.

“Is it good?”

“It is not bad.”

As they went on and on, they strolled around a hill.

Suddenly, a burst of wines shot around Skoll. Pillars of stones rose from the ground with vines and plants around them which shot toward him.

“Attack!?” Skoll forcefully changed the direction., but the sudden way of this attack cause him to be unable to dodge everyone. In fact, he had no need for dodge.

Skoll struggled very little at first and tore wines apart and deflected the stone pillars away with his body. “This is not a normal attack! Oh, no. This is bad.” He muttered from figuring something about the way it seemed.

More pillars smashed into his location. But he sidestepped out of the danger. He quickly retreated back into the shade of a tree. Away from the mountain range, just around a corner where the attack formed.

“Allan will be in danger.”

From the shadows of that rocky mountain, 2 figures emerged. Old man and one younger-looking man. Lord Gao made this ambush especially for testing Skoll’s abilities. It was fairly successful, and he determined the strength of his enemy.

“No. An ambush?” Startled, Skoll went alert. Staring at the people in front of him with a murderous look in his eyes.

“You! Get lost from this place or I will destroy you!” Growled Skoll at them. He knew the overall power of his opponents in an instant.

“It can talk?” Lord Gao was visibly shocked. This could mean a lot of things. Higher tier monster who slowly evolved, monsters who underway qualitative change of their linage, or beasts from clans and families whose grand patriarchs were listed on the Heavenly List. All of these were quite terrifying opponents. Few could imagine their powers.

Lord Gao could! He knew about them. He met some, but never hunted one.

“Whose family are you from, beast?” He asked while frowning. Imagining a few possibilities and pieces of information about the Heavenly List of beasts. Wolf's species was not all that defined there apart from the very tip of that list. “It is impossible for this wolf to be among them.” Lord Gao assumed.

“None.” Skoll answered. “Who is this old man?? How in the bloody sun did Clayton get in their way after being in the lower mortal realm for 10 years?” Skoll wondered. He did not expect such problems so early into his potential freedom.

“So, unaffiliated beast from unknown. Are you willing to serve your new master??” Lord Gao slowly asked. He grinned menacingly from ear to ear. He also knew that it could not be fully unaffiliated, but that did not matter. Taking a risks in these kinds of situations was more than worth it for him.

“Earlier test confirmed it has some ability, but so do I” Lord Gao's confidence stemmed from his abilities. He knew and came prepared. Not exactly did he expect a beast with a high intellect, but the price would be worth more than the troubles it came with it.

He couldn’t use a forceful slave seal for animals or beastly beings. They were usually more willing to face death than accept their fates as slaves or entertaining pets. Forcing one by force was a strategy to get them to lose their will, accept their fate, and serve someone more powerful than them was a law from primordial times.

This was a law of jungle. Where strong, ate the weak.

Lord Gao went forth.

“Take the boy to my servant if you are willing to serve!”

“Human… you make me sick to my stomach… I wouldn’t even clench my thirst with your blood if I was stranded in the hottest desert.” Skoll sternly said. Not being one bit dishonest.

His words disappointed Lord Gao greatly. He wanted to solve the second problem of his and then deal with his reward next. It seemed that he was willing to make no regard for Allan’s safety if this old man wanted to capture him.

“Very well. You will suffer then. Take care of the kid, even if he fell off from it or not.” He said to a servant behind him. Implying he would blame the servant if Allan end up dead.

“Of course, Sir” He bowed with an indifferent look of acceptance. It was a face of a servant who would go to the end of the world for their masters.

Skoll was unmoved by this man. “Kid. You better prepare yourself. I will try my best to flee. Priority of your life is more important than fighting them.” Skoll ordered Allan.

“Skoll? Is this that bad?” Allan asked, but he did not get any answer. “Is there no way around this?” he thought. The constant pressure that was emitting from this old man was absolutely terrifying. It was in no way weaker than Skoll who has a different aura around him, but an overall terrifying feeling was still there.

Allan almost flew through the air as Skoll pounced his paws from the ground. Gust, shock, and crevices formed on the ground for dozens of meters. Not glancing back any further. He fled significantly faster than ever before in his life.

“Fleeing? Damn. That was his best choice I guess. His pride is not much.” Lord Gao wondered. Certain beasts or even powerful warriors would not flee for their lives at every minor bump on their road. No. They would fight for their honor and pride.

How stupid... is probably something, Skoll would have thought if he was told that.

Lord Gao crisscrossed his arms. A green glow shimmered around him. He was manifesting his energy outside of his bode to prepare himself for the chasing.

Eagle appeared above him and he and his servant jumped on its back. Pursuing was best done from the above. In the best and safest place of the sky.

“The beast went quite faster than before. It probably used a little power so far. Change of plans. Let's bombard them. hehehehee.” Laugh sounded from afar. Lord Gao assumed the lofty position of a hunter who would be more than willing to be shameless as he wish.

Bustling trees and bushes went by. Skoll was running fast away. Cutting unexpected corners as he could. He decided to go more up. To the stone mountains where he could see if they were close. The downside was he could be seen as well. But he thought he was much faster than them.

“Skoll. There is no way they are slower than you. They waited for us on that hill.” Allan said. He was right.

“I am taking a risk. What am I supposed to do?”

“I don’t know….” Said Allan helplessly.

“Watch out from behind and above. I am focusing on the run at the moment.” Ordered Skoll to Allan. He was also not sure about their opponents. He was aware that they were fast as well.

THUD!

Bang!

Dull sounds could be heard. Sounds of falling rock and tremors in the ground spread to their location.

“Above! They are above us!” Allan shouted.

“NO!” Skoll shrieked. Stopping himself.

“I can see a bird in the sky.” Allan said.

“We are an easy target. This is bad. Get off me. Kid.” said sternly Skoll.

“B-but…” Allan couldn’t find a solution. This was a critical point.

“Go to the mountains. Get your one bag only and leave. Find some cave or something.” Skoll ordered. He would use the other sack as camouflage to think that he was still on his back.

“No choice again. Huh?” Allan painfully realized. He took his stuff. In a leather bag were his books and water with some food. He took some weapons in his hands from his other sack.

“Will you find me after you will deal with them?” Asked Allan.

“My nose is excellent. How do you think I found you!” Said proudly Skoll.

“Kid. What is your name?”

“Huh? I did not tell you? My name is Allan.”

“Hahaha. Mortal name, huh? How generous. I guess no surname too?”

“Wh-what? What do you mean?” Asked Allan, surprised by this sudden question.

Skoll was lost in thoughts for a moment. Recalling some of his memories. He jumped away just as a boulder crashed to the ground, knocking Allan away. Skoll left without any other world but the determination to get his life back was more than apparent.

Bombardment kept going. Dozens of them around in a few kilometers radius. Fortunately not to the extent that Allan was in their proximity. He got on his feet. Resolving himself, and started to run in the opposite direction towards the mountain pass.

High in the air, Lord Gao was enjoying the scenery. “How easy to deal with this animal.”

His energy formed a small river from all over his body and mostly on his back that divided further into many more streams. On their ends were shaped hands, which were grabbing surrounding rocks and throwing them away into random locations. It was a sight of dozens of small mountian-sized boulders which crashed into the forest and ground. Shaking earth was cracked and destruction littered the surroundings in just a few moments.

“It surely is master.” Said his servant in confirmation. He was seated on an edge of the eagle. Glancing down. Thick veins were visible around his eyes.

“M-master!? The kid is gone?” He suddenly shouted.

“Whaaat?“ Lord Gao leisurely asked. “That sounds like your problem. Does it not?”

Servant gritted his teeth.

“They probably separated as we started our bombardment. Get off and go back. You should find him somewhere in our previous locations.”

“Roger that!” He deeply bowed. Jumping down from a high distance and clenched his feet as he penetrated the air from almost a hundred meters.

Thud!

His feet fell to the ground. They went through the soil up to a knee. The impact was lessened by his unexpectedly powerful thighs and legs. He landed just fine and sprinted through the forest in an opposite direction with big leaps. A murderous and grinning face was suddenly revealed on his face.

“Now. Now. I should start for real, I suppose.” Lord Gao muttered to himself while he was seated alone on his bird.