Chapter 11: Four Strangers
Baryon stared at Poseidon.
Poseidon stared back.
Lucien stood between them with the expression of someone who had already realized this was going to become a problem.
The Bloodscale Ravager sat several meters away, its enormous body resting beneath the shade of a half-burned tree.
Baryon pointed at Poseidon.
"So you're Poseidon."
"Yes."
"You control water."
Poseidon narrowed his eyes.
"Yes."
"You have ocean-like energy."
"Yes."
"You have blue hair."
Poseidon's eye twitched.
"Yes."
Baryon slowly nodded.
"Interesting."
Poseidon folded his arms.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You're doing that thing again."
"What thing?"
"Thinking something stupid and refusing to say it."
Baryon placed a hand against his chest.
"I would never."
Lucien interrupted.
"You absolutely would."
Baryon looked offended.
"Lucien, I thought we were friends."
"We are."
"Then defend me."
"No."
Baryon stared at him.
Poseidon snorted.
Baryon immediately pointed at him.
"You laughed."
"I did not."
"You did."
"I breathed."
"That was a laugh."
"Prove it."
Baryon opened his mouth.
Then closed it.
Poseidon's smile widened.
"That's what I thought."
Baryon narrowed his eyes.
"You're going to regret that."
"Are you threatening me?"
"No."
"Good."
"I'm promising."
Poseidon stared.
Lucien sighed.
The Bloodscale Ravager lifted its head.
Its enormous nostrils flared.
Then it released a deep rumbling sound.
Baryon turned toward it.
"See? Even he agrees."
Poseidon stared at the creature.
"You have no idea what it said."
Baryon walked toward the Ravager.
"Do you?"
The creature looked at him.
Baryon pointed toward Poseidon.
"What did he say?"
The Ravager blinked.
Baryon waited.
Nothing.
"...Okay."
Poseidon smirked.
Baryon pointed toward him.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
"My face can't talk."
"Unfortunately."
Lucien stepped between them.
"Enough."
Both boys stopped.
Lucien looked toward the Ravager.
Its breathing was still uneven.
Several of its scales remained cracked from the fight.
Lucien's expression became serious.
"We should deal with its injuries."
Baryon's attention immediately shifted.
"Right."
He crouched beside the creature.
Up close, the Bloodscale Ravager looked even more imposing.
Its body was covered in thick black scales streaked with crimson, each one layered over the next like overlapping pieces of armor. Some were as large as Baryon's hand. Others were considerably bigger.
Several were cracked.
One near its shoulder had been partially broken.
Baryon frowned.
"That looks bad."
Poseidon walked closer.
"Your lightning did that?"
Baryon looked at him.
"Some of it."
Poseidon stared at the Ravager.
"Then you should fix it."
Baryon blinked.
"How?"
Poseidon gave him a flat look.
"You have all those ridiculous affinities. Figure something out."
"That's not how learning works."
"You're the one who fired flames from your eyes five minutes after discovering you had powers."
Baryon paused.
"Fair."
Lucien knelt beside them.
"Don't force energy into it."
Baryon looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because its energy system is different from yours."
Lucien carefully placed his hand near the Ravager's injured shoulder.
The creature immediately growled.
Lucien stopped.
"Easy."
The Ravager's eyes remained fixed on him.
Baryon noticed.
"He's not going to hurt you."
The Ravager looked at Baryon.
Then Lucien.
Its growl softened.
Lucien raised an eyebrow.
"Apparently it trusts you more."
Baryon's chest puffed out.
"Obviously."
Poseidon rolled his eyes.
"You've known it for less than an hour."
"And?"
"That's not enough time to build trust."
Baryon looked at the Ravager.
The creature stared back.
Baryon smiled.
"Maybe it is."
Poseidon didn't answer.
For some reason, that statement stayed with him.
He had known Baryon for barely any time himself.
Lucien too.
Yet something about this strange group felt different.
He couldn't explain it.
Perhaps it was because none of them belonged together.
Baryon was reckless.
Lucien was composed.
Poseidon preferred solitude.
And the Ravager was a magical beast that should have considered all three of them prey.
Yet here they were.
Together.
Poseidon looked away.
'Ridiculous.'
He crouched beside the Ravager.
The creature immediately turned its head toward him.
Poseidon froze.
"...What?"
The Ravager stared.
Poseidon stared back.
Then he slowly extended his hand.
"Don't bite me."
Baryon snorted.
Poseidon looked at him.
"Something funny?"
"No."
"Then stop laughing."
"I'm not."
Lucien smiled.
"You are."
Poseidon pointed at Lucien.
"You're supposed to be the reasonable one."
"I am."
"Then help me."
Lucien looked at his hand.
Then at the Ravager.
"You're doing fine."
Poseidon muttered something beneath his breath.
The Ravager sniffed his hand.
Its enormous nostrils nearly swallowed Poseidon's entire arm.
Poseidon remained perfectly still.
The creature sniffed again.
Then lowered its head.
Poseidon's hand touched one of its scales.
Warm.
That was his first thought.
The second was how strange the sensation felt.
He had spent much of his life around water.
Water was movement.
Water was freedom.
Water was something that could flow around an obstacle rather than confront it.
This creature was the opposite.
It was weight.
Strength.
Endurance.
Something that didn't bend simply because the world pushed against it.
Yet somehow...
It was warm.
Poseidon slowly rubbed the edge of its scale.
The Ravager closed its eyes.
Poseidon's expression softened.
Baryon noticed.
"So you like it."
Poseidon immediately pulled his hand away.
"No."
The Ravager opened its eye.
Poseidon hesitated.
Then looked at it.
"...Maybe."
Baryon's grin became enormous.
Poseidon pointed at him.
"Don't."
"I didn't say anything."
"Your face did."
Baryon laughed.
The Ravager suddenly raised its head.
Baryon stopped.
Poseidon stopped.
Lucien stopped.
The creature sniffed the air.
Its pupils narrowed.
Then it looked toward the forest.
Lucien's expression changed.
"What is it?"
The Ravager rose.
Its injured leg shook slightly.
Baryon immediately stepped forward.
"Easy."
The creature growled.
Baryon placed his hand against its side.
"I'm not letting you fight something while you're hurt."
The Ravager looked down at him.
Its expression was impossible to read.
Then it lowered itself again.
Poseidon looked surprised.
"It listened."
Baryon smiled.
"I told you."
Lucien's gaze remained fixed on the trees.
"Something is coming."
Baryon turned.
"Another monster?"
"No."
Poseidon closed his eyes.
Water gathered around his feet.
"I hear footsteps."
Baryon's eyes widened.
"You can hear them?"
Poseidon opened one eye.
"Water is everywhere."
He pointed toward the ground.
"Underground."
Then toward the leaves.
"In the plants."
Then toward the air.
"In the atmosphere."
His eyes became brighter.
"Everything carries moisture."
Baryon stared.
"That's actually pretty cool."
Poseidon smiled slightly.
"I know."
Lucien sighed.
"Please don't encourage him."
A rustling sound came from the trees.
Baryon's stance changed.
Poseidon prepared himself.
Lucien stepped forward.
The Ravager positioned itself behind them.
Baryon looked back.
"Stay here."
The Ravager growled.
"You're injured."
Another growl.
"I know you can fight."
The Ravager's eyes narrowed.
"But you're staying."
The creature stared at him.
Baryon stared back.
Several seconds passed.
Then the Ravager slowly sat down.
Poseidon looked at Baryon.
"You just ordered a magical beast around."
Baryon shrugged.
"I asked."
"You definitely ordered it."
"It worked."
Lucien smiled.
"That's what matters."
The bushes suddenly exploded outward.
Three smaller creatures emerged.
They resembled wolves, except their bodies were covered in gray stone-like plates.
Their mouths dripped black saliva.
Poseidon frowned.
"Gravefangs."
Baryon looked at him.
"Are those dangerous?"
"Yes."
"How dangerous?"
Poseidon looked at the injured Ravager.
"Less dangerous than that."
Baryon grinned.
"Good."
Lucien stepped forward.
"I'll handle the first."
Poseidon moved beside him.
"I'll take the second."
Baryon looked at the third.
"Then I get the ugly one."
Poseidon frowned.
"Which one is ugly?"
Baryon pointed.
"That one."
The Gravefang snarled.
Poseidon looked at it.
Then at Baryon.
"...They all look the same."
"Exactly."
The Gravefangs attacked.
Lucien moved first.
His fist struck one directly in the chest.
BOOM!
The creature flew backward.
Poseidon raised one hand.
Water erupted from the ground.
It wrapped around another Gravefang's legs and violently slammed it into the earth.
Baryon grinned.
"Show-off."
Poseidon glanced at him.
"You literally have four affinities."
"Exactly. I have to conserve my resources."
"For what?"
"Snacks."
Poseidon stared.
Lucien laughed.
Baryon pointed at him.
"See? He gets it."
The third Gravefang charged.
Baryon disappeared.
The creature snapped at empty air.
Baryon appeared behind it.
He tapped its back.
"Hey."
The Gravefang turned.
Baryon punched it.
The creature flew.
It crashed through a tree and rolled across the ground.
Baryon stared.
"...I think I hit it too hard."
The creature tried to stand.
It fell.
Baryon's expression changed.
He immediately walked toward it.
"Hey."
The creature growled weakly.
Baryon crouched.
"Can you move?"
The Gravefang tried.
It couldn't.
Baryon's expression became thoughtful.
He remembered the Ravager.
The creature hadn't been evil.
It had simply been surviving.
Maybe these creatures were the same.
He placed a hand against the Gravefang's side.
"Sorry."
Poseidon stared.
"You're apologizing to a monster?"
Baryon looked at him.
"Yeah."
"Why?"
"Because I didn't need to hit it that hard."
Poseidon didn't respond.
Lucien looked at Baryon.
There was something different about him now.
The same boy who had laughed after discovering his immense potential was kneeling beside a defeated monster, genuinely concerned about whether he had injured it unnecessarily.
Lucien smiled.
"You're changing quickly."
Baryon looked over.
"What?"
"Nothing."
Before Baryon could ask, a massive shadow fell over them.
The Bloodscale Ravager had risen.
It walked toward the injured Gravefang.
Baryon stood.
"Wait."
The Ravager continued.
Baryon moved between them.
"Don't hurt it."
The Ravager stared at him.
Baryon pointed toward the Gravefang.
"It's done."
The creature growled.
Baryon didn't move.
Poseidon watched.
Lucien watched.
For several seconds, Baryon and the Ravager stared at each other.
Then the Ravager lowered its head.
It sniffed the Gravefang.
The Gravefang trembled.
The Ravager turned away.
Baryon smiled.
"Thank you."
The Ravager sat.
Poseidon stared.
"This is getting ridiculous."
Baryon looked at him.
"What?"
"That thing is listening to you."
Baryon glanced at the Ravager.
"I don't think it's listening."
"Then what is it doing?"
Baryon thought.
"Trusting me?"
The word hung in the air.
Poseidon became quiet.
Lucien became quiet.
The Ravager remained still.
Baryon looked at the three of them.
Then he smiled.
"I think we should stick together."
Poseidon immediately answered.
"No."
Lucien answered at almost the exact same time.
"Perhaps."
Baryon looked between them.
"Traitor."
Lucien ignored him.
Poseidon crossed his arms.
"We just met."
"So?"
"I don't travel with strangers."
Baryon pointed toward the Ravager.
"He's a stranger too."
Poseidon looked at the creature.
Then at Baryon.
"He's a magical beast."
"That makes it worse."
Poseidon opened his mouth.
Stopped.
Baryon smiled.
"Exactly."
Poseidon looked away.
He didn't want to admit it.
He had spent enough time alone to understand solitude.
He liked the sea because it didn't ask questions.
The ocean didn't care if he spoke.
It didn't care if he was quiet.
It simply existed.
Yet these three...
They were different.
Baryon was loud.
Lucien was irritatingly perceptive.
The Ravager was enormous and apparently incapable of respecting personal space.
And somehow...
Poseidon didn't hate it.
He looked toward Baryon.
"Fine."
Baryon's eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Temporarily."
"How long?"
"Until I find somewhere safe."
"That's basically forever."
"It isn't."
"Sure."
Poseidon glared.
Lucien chuckled.
The Ravager released a low rumble.
Baryon looked at it.
"You agree?"
The Ravager lowered its head.
Baryon grinned.
"See?"
Poseidon sighed.
"Fine."
Baryon extended his hand.
Poseidon looked at it.
"What?"
"Friends?"
Poseidon stared.
The question was simple.
Almost childish.
Yet somehow, it felt heavier than it should have.
He looked at Lucien.
Lucien was smiling.
Then he looked at the Ravager.
The enormous creature watched them quietly.
Poseidon sighed.
"Fine."
He shook Baryon's hand.
Baryon's smile became brighter.
Then Lucien placed his hand on top of theirs.
Baryon looked at him.
"When did you join?"
Lucien smiled.
"You invited me."
"Oh."
Baryon looked at the Ravager.
The creature stared back.
Baryon extended his free hand toward it.
"Your turn."
The Ravager looked at his hand.
Then at Baryon.
Then at Poseidon.
Then Lucien.
It lowered its head.
Baryon placed his hand against one of its scales.
Poseidon placed his hand beside his.
Lucien did the same.
Three boys stood together beneath a ruined forest canopy.
One hand against a massive crimson-black scale.
Four strangers.
No shared history.
No common blood.
No reason for their paths to have crossed.
Yet something had already begun.
A bond.
Not forged through years.
Not created by promises.
But born from something simpler.
They had protected one another.
They had fought beside one another.
They had laughed.
They had argued.
They had bled.
And perhaps most importantly...
They had chosen not to walk away.
Baryon looked at the Ravager.
"You're part of the group too."
The creature released a low growl.
Baryon smiled.
"That's a yes."
Poseidon shook his head.
"You don't know that."
"I do."
"How?"
Baryon looked at the creature.
"Because I can feel it."
Lucien's expression became thoughtful.
"Then perhaps we should give it a name."
The Ravager's head lifted.
Baryon looked at it.
"Hmm."
Poseidon crossed his arms.
"Don't give it something stupid."
Baryon looked offended.
"Why would I?"
Lucien answered immediately.
"Because you're Baryon."
"That's not an argument."
"It is."
Baryon ignored him.
He studied the creature.
The black scales.
The crimson veins.
The enormous horns.
The ancient eyes.
The scars.
The strength.
The strange gentleness it had shown despite its terrifying appearance.
Baryon smiled.
"I've got it."
Poseidon sighed.
"What?"
Baryon looked toward the Ravager.
"Raze."
The creature tilted its head.
Baryon's grin widened.
"Yeah."
He placed his hand against its scales.
"Your name is Raze."
The Ravager stared at him.
Then it released a deep, rumbling growl.
The ground vibrated.
Baryon's eyes lit up.
"That's definitely a yes!"
Poseidon shook his head.
"You're impossible."
Lucien smiled.
"Perhaps."
The four began walking.
Baryon in front.
Lucien beside him.
Poseidon slightly behind.
And Raze following them like a living fortress.
None of them noticed the faint crimson glow that briefly appeared beneath the Ravager's scales.
None noticed the strange symbol that formed over its heart before disappearing.
And none of them heard the whisper carried through the distant forest.
"Four..."
The voice was faint.
Almost impossible to hear.
"...have become one."
Raze suddenly stopped.
Baryon turned.
"What's wrong?"
The Ravager stared into the forest.
Its pupils narrowed.
Baryon followed its gaze.
Nothing.
Only trees.
Only wind.
Only silence.
Baryon frowned.
Then he smiled.
"Come on."
Raze didn't move.
Baryon walked back and placed a hand against its enormous snout.
"Whatever you're sensing..."
His eyes sharpened.
"...we'll deal with it together."
Raze looked down at him.
Then slowly began walking again.
Poseidon watched the exchange.
For reasons he couldn't explain, his chest felt strangely warm.
Lucien noticed.
"You like him."
Poseidon glanced at him.
"Who?"
Lucien pointed toward Raze.
Poseidon scoffed.
"I tolerate him."
Baryon turned around.
"That's what people say when they like someone."
Poseidon glared.
"Keep walking."
Baryon laughed.
And so they did.
Four figures disappeared deeper into the forest.
None of them knew where the road would lead.
None knew what waited beyond the trees.
None knew that gods, monsters, kingdoms, and forces beyond their understanding would eventually become part of their lives.
For now, they were simply four strangers walking together.
And that was enough.
For now.