The day of Hunting with Selina improved quickly after that first encounter with the regalmantis. They continued through the woods together, discussing the challenges of Rune Magic in an active fight, and how to overcome them. They were both aware that the Runemistress would ultimately be fighting with a team, and that her new Bonds would provide new opportunities and tactics, but they agreed that Selina should be as prepared as possible for those moments when all else failed.

  For her part, Selina was even more enthused to learn the intricacies of Hunting. Not only did she have a natural drive for improvement and an active imagination, but she’d learned some powerful lessons in that first brief encounter. First, she’d been chased by a terrifying monster, and stood her ground. She’d even seen her race’s predisposition toward combat put to excellent use.

  Just as importantly, she’d seen that she could rely on her teammates. It was crucial to understand the dangers that Hunting represented–something Ethan had learned early–but the willingness to trust someone else with your safety was integral. Now that she’d felt both those things, she walked with an interesting mix of caution and confidence.

  One of their Notices had requested that the regalmantis population be thinned by at least three, so they stayed in the same general area of the Northern woods. The second one they found gave them a chance to explore the advantages of a properly set up battle.

  Selina approached this in a couple of different ways. First was the Rune Circles. She could only empower one at a time, needing to connect her Soul Rune directly to the circle to feed it mana, but she could create multiple circles in different locations, and empower them at need. This would allow her to retreat, and begin attacking again as soon as she reached a fallback location.

  She also worked with traps, taking a cue from Ethan’s fighting style. While she didn’t have anything as destructive as his, she was capable of a number of control effects. When they were ready, Ethan again removed the dangerous tail, leaving the enraged insect to charge at Selina with death in its multifaceted eyes. This time, however, it found its legs sinking into mud, and strands of wire holding it back.

  The Rune Mage had a much easier time connecting with her spells now that the mantis was so much slower, and she repeated the ones she’d used previously, determined to make the most of them. This time the blade of cutting wind sliced through the monster’s thin legs, while the fiery spears pierced its body.

  While effective, they were poorly suited to actually killing the beast, and Ethan hastily put it out of its misery, before congratulating her. “That went a lot better,” he said with a smile.

  “I wanted to keep it simple this time, but it was amazing to feel like I was actually in control of the battle!” she said joyously.

  “Absolutely, and I imagine that will be key to your fighting style. Your knowledge of monster weaknesses and shortcomings, combined with your wide array of abilities will be deadly.”

  “You’re right that I should be prepared for the worst though,” she said seriously. “I’m still not sure what I’d do if we were attacked and I wasn’t ready.”

  “Let’s think on it,” he suggested. “We should try it this way a few more times anyway, giving you a chance to use some different spells.”

  They did so, finding two more of the mantises with little trouble. Apparently they were attracted to a certain type of tree in the area, which in turn attracted far smaller insects that the monsters devoured in large quantities. For each encounter they ran Selina through new scenarios.

  First they experimented with a battle in which she was forced to relocate numerous times. She placed persistent Rune Circles in a few different locations, then moved from one to another as the mantis chased her through the woods. She used her control spells to slow the charging creature, but only enough to give her time to reach a new casting location.

  It was a valuable exercise, and revealed a tactic that she looked forward to exploring more in the future. Her Nator strength allowed her to climb trees and rocks almost as easily as Ethan did, so rather than simply placing circles around the monster, she would scout out every hard to reach location she could find. This resulted in the mantis having to maneuver its large body through tight spaces, up trees, and so forth, buying Selina precious time to cast her spells.

  Unfortunately, while the concept worked, it was relatively impractical as things were now. In the future she could bring items and equipment to help her get to hard to reach places more easily, but she and Ethan agreed that mobility powers would be doubly valuable to her once she began unlocking abilities.

  The next test went far worse, but was no less valuable for the lessons it taught. Selina insisted on sneaking as close to the mantis as possible without any preparation, to simulate being ambushed or surprised. They tried it, and If nothing else, it showed exactly how bad a scenario that could be for her.

  No matter how quickly she could place a circle, the monster would be upon her from so close. This meant she needed distance, but without careful scouting and preparation, she simply wasn't able to gain enough of a lead to cast a spell. Ethan [Obliterated] the large insect’s stinger and pincers to give the experiment more time, but when it started spitting metal barbs–likely poisonous–he had to finish it off.

  Still, Selina wasn’t disheartened at all. Not only was she proud of the cardio she’d demonstrated, but she believed it was just another excellent data point to help inform the Familiars and abilities she’d need. Movement powers would help with this one as well, but it was clear that Rune Magic simply wasn’t meant for this type of battle–at least not at a low rank.

  They stopped for lunch near a small river, Deevee and Revan’s spectral forms keeping watch for attack. “It’s important to do badly in a few Hunts,” Ethan said between bites of red cheese. “It builds character.”

  “I’m sure that’s true,” she said seriously, which evoked a chuckle from Ethan. He was enjoying the day. There was a simple purity to it, and he liked that he could help Selina. He wouldn’t pretend that it was entirely selfless, but he’d become uncomfortably aware of how much he’d been focused on himself since arriving. With good reason, of course, but that didn’t make it in character.

  Regardless of the challenges he’d experienced being a doctor on Earth, helping people had been a core focus of his life. The fact that he couldn’t risk returning to Gloria’s clinic was making things worse. Not only was he a known heretic at this point, but his medical knowledge was unreliable at best. Helping a friend achieve her dream filled that hole somewhat, and was a welcome respite from the plotting and scheming he needed to survive.

  The pair enjoyed the peace of the river for a time, both glad for a break from stalking through the forest. Finally Ethan’s curiosity won out over the tranquility. “So, we get you a bunny. What are your other two Familiars?”

  Selina’s bright ivory teeth stood out against her red skin as she smiled widely. “Well! That’s actually complicated. I know my second Familiar, it’s more rare and may take some time to find. It’s called a pursi. I think it’s perfect.” She pulled a notebook from her inventory and flipped through pages, finally landing on a sketch which she excitedly showed Ethan.

  He looked from the picture to Selina, an eyebrow raised. “I think I’m seeing a trend here, Runemistress. Are you just trying to catch the cutest monsters on the planet?” There were some subtle differences, but the sketch couldn’t look much more like a red panda from Earth. Well, a purple panda, he amended.

  It was impossible to tell when Selina was blushing, but he suspected she might be as she reeled back in shock. “I’ll have you know that I’ve been thinking about this for years, Bishop! Pursi is an extremely sensible choice, and a brilliant support Familiar. It uses a wide variety of afflictions that will weaken other monsters. So when your big flashy explosions and stabs are suddenly vastly more effective, we’ll see whether you still think my Familiar is just utterly adorable!”

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

  Ethan narrowed his eyes. “I only said ‘cute’.”

  “Same thing!” she said defensively, then hastily changed the subject. “But I’m less sure about the final Familiar. I know which ones I’m considering, but I need to see which abilities I receive first.” Ethan nodded and smiled, ready to tease her further when he froze.

  “What is it?” she asked, seeing something was wrong.

  “Deevee just spotted something,” he said, shooting to his feet. “Quickly!”

  He abandoned the rest of the food and hurried up river toward the hydra. Selina darted after him, her long legs still not quite enough to equal his peak Dawn speed. He slowed a bit so she could keep up, and soon had to move into a stealthy posture anyway, their prey not far away.

  He ducked behind a wide tree, then pointed when Selina joined him. There, only a few dozen paces away, drinking at the river, was a lepus.

  It really did look like a rabbit, though it was the size of a small dog. It was pure white, and seemed to be reflecting the sunlight. The ears were overly long, and rather than short and cottony, the tail flared out behind it.

  “Okay…that thing is pretty damn small,” Ethan whispered. “Normally we’re supposed to weaken it before using the Bond Stone, but I think any of my abilities would annihilate the adorable little bastard.”

  “Probably true,” she agreed. “It’s not usually something a Dawn rank Bonded would try to catch. If you can find one, it’s a much better starting Familiar–especially for support.”

  “Well, you’re the Hunter here,” Ethan said with a slight smile. “How do you want to handle this?”

  She began tapping her lip in thought. “Well, it’s not particularly dangerous, but it’s very fast, and will run. I have a shock spell that should make it slow down long enough to catch, but I’ll need help keeping it in the area.”

  Ethan nodded. “I’ll place some traps, then between Deevee and Revan, I’m sure we can keep it from running too far.” He pointed at a large, flat boulder in the center of the river. “If you set up there, you’ll have a good view of the whole area. Ready?”

  “So, so ready!” Selina said with a grin, already holding the common Bond Stone.

  ***

  The lepus drank. It was so thirsty. It had run from many predators today. This part of the forest had been safe for so long, and it had enjoyed that safety. It had run around with others of its kind, found food, and slept peacefully. Then the tall ones came, with their stingers and grasping claws.

  They weren’t as fast as the lepus, but they seemed to be everywhere, and never slept. It had already lost the others of its kind, and didn’t think it could survive much longer on its own. Getting food was dangerous, and it was so hungry…

  The lepus’ body stiffened suddenly, as ancient instincts warned of danger. It moved away from the water with quick steps, trying to look in every direction at once. It smelled the air, and twitched its ears, certain that a predator was near. Strangely, it wasn’t one of the giant, pointed bugs that stepped out from the forest, but a red creature that looked almost as hesitant as the lepus was.

  The lepus froze in place, trying to be so still as to be invisible. This was always its first instinct when encountering a new threat, and it waited, hoping the red thing would leave. Unfortunately it did not, though it also didn’t move directly toward the lepus, instead walking slowly toward the river. Maybe it was just thirsty? The lepus remained still.

  Oddly, the red thing strode into the water, then climbed atop a rock. The lepus remained still, invisible, waiting. When the red creature reached a hand down, and light began to glow at its feet, the lepus knew the danger was real. Its other instinct took over, and in a heartbeat it was running.

  It heard sounds as the river disappeared behind it, but they meant nothing. Light gathered around the lepus as it ran, its instinct calling up a shield that had saved it before. Strangely, it didn’t feel an attack, and soon it was dodging through the trees.

  The lepus skidded to an abrupt halt as another creature was suddenly in front of it. It also stood on two legs, and was many colors, red, black, and white, and the lepus squealed in fear–this one was certainly a predator–the lepus turned and ran in a different direction. Adrenaline pumped through its veins as it charged back toward the river, only for heat and fire to erupt in front of it.

  It squealed, the deadly flames causing it to panic, and it quickly picked another direction, hearing its heartbeat thumping in its ears. This time a different creature appeared to block its path. More black and red, but on all fours, an enormous mouth full of teeth open and hungry. The lepus ran once more.

  Another burst of flame.

  The multi-colored predator.

  A flying snake.

  Everywhere it turned something blocked its path, and finally it found itself scrambling back along the river, the original red creature ahead. It was the first thing the lepus had seen, but ultimately the least terrifying, and compared to the flame and predators, a threat worth facing.

  The lepus ran, leaping over rocks and sticks as it tried to get away, only to feel itself slow. Was it stuck in mud? What was happening? There were more sounds from the red one, and suddenly the lepus’ limbs went numb. Why wouldn’t they move?

  The red one came closer, but strangely, the lepus found itself less afraid. This creature moved slowly, carefully, like one of the lepus’ kind when there was no smell of predators in the air. It bent down, and placed a stone between them. The stone glowed with a friendly light.

  The lepus was calm then. It didn’t know why, but it knew it was safe. More than that, it would always be safe. It would be given a home where it could return, warm and protected. It closed its eyes gratefully, knowing that it no longer needed to run.

  ***

  “You did it!” Ethan called happily. Selina didn’t respond, still kneeling on the ground, a hand to her chest. When she finally looked up at him there were tears in her purple eyes. Her mouth split into a bright smile.

  “It’s real,” she said simply. She pulled aside the light leather armor to examine the runes forming on her chest. Ethan found the sight fascinating, as it was effectively the opposite of what he’d experienced.

  Ethan, and all non-Nator Bonded received their Familiar Bonds first. That resulted in three elaborate patterns on their chests, with a gap in the middle. When they received their final Bond, those patterns grew inward, winding together and forming the Soul Rune.

  With Selina, her Soul Rune was already there, an elaborate pattern of sharp lines leading to curved waves on the outside–as if waiting for the Bonds they should connect to. So it was proven, as those lines extended downward, becoming the first part of the trifecta that would eventually create a truly unique tapestry reflecting her powers.

  The lines were carved by an inner light, searing into her flesh, and Ethan remembered that pain well. Selina grit her teeth, but at last it was complete, and she stood up, letting out a long, cleansing breath. Ethan looked her over, curious.

  “Your soul isn’t burning up, is it?” he asked.

  She laughed. “No, Ethan. My soul has been preparing for this for over a decade. And some of us don’t Bond the rarest and most dangerous creatures we can find. I’ll be just fine.”

  Ethan smiled. “Well congratulations, you’re truly on the path to becoming a Hunter now. Did you get the ability you wanted?”

  Selina cocked her head, then closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them she made a face. “Actually, no. I’m a little surprised, a shielding power is the most common first ability with a lepus but this…” She turned to the rock from which she’d cast her spells, and extended a hand.

  A thin beam of pure white light shot out, silently boring into the rock like a drill. Shards flew in every direction, and Ethan watched curiously. It wasn’t the most devastating ability he’d ever seen but Selina was able to maintain it easily, channeling the beam continuously until she closed her fist.

  “[Focused Ray],” she said. “I can’t complain really, a reliable attack that doesn’t need a Rune Circle is definitely something I needed.”

  “Want to try it in a Hunt? There’s plenty of daylight left.”

  Selina grinned back at him. “Absolutely! You said there was another notice nearby.”

  “There is; it’s for a lutumstrider. I’ve faced one before with…well, we should be able to handle it together.” He took out the Notice, smiling at the other name on the paper. “Plus, we might meet a friend of mine.”

  They returned to walking through the dense woods. Selina was eager to call her Familiar, wanting to see the small creature with the Bond in place, as well as name it. Unfortunately it needed time to recover after being Hunted, and so they contented themselves to speak of the other abilities she hoped to acquire.

  The dinosaur-like mud dweller had been spotted relatively close by, but that still meant more than an hour of hiking, and they filled the time easily. Ethan talked about the shortcomings of his abilities, and what he hoped to find as well. They were well and truly distracted when a loud sound echoed from the woods up ahead. So much so that Ethan had to stop and listen, needing to hear the sound again before he could believe what it was.

  Gunfire.