The first rays of dawn spilled over Gouon, a sliver of gold on the horizon. Paley took in the sight with a deep breath of the cool, clean air as he slipped away from the sleeping orphanage. The discussion about the school fees was still fresh in his mind, a heavy weight that propelled him forward into the quiet forest.

  "Let's say one small monster is worth one gold, I'll need three for the fees. But a bigger one might be enough on its own. Then the uniforms Mother mentioned... twenty silver each. That's another one hundred and twenty silver. So, four small monsters, or one very large one." A rare, genuine smile touched his lips as he imagined the scene: walking back home and presenting the gold to Madella. He could already see her precious, campfire smile, feel Teerom's proud clap on his shoulder, and hear the other orphans' cheers. The fantasy was a fire in his chest, overshadowing the cold anxiety of facing a real monster.

  He moved deeper into the woods, enjoying the fresh, lukewarm air and the scent of damp earth, before a sharp rustle in the undergrowth brought him to a halt. The sound grew louder. He began to gather energy in his palms, but dissipated the spell when a small figure emerged, wrestling with a comically overstuffed backpack. It was Bacha.

  Surprised, he walked over and lifted the heavy bag from her, letting her stretch and catch her breath. "What are you doing here, Bacha?" he asked, his voice soft.

  "Well, I know we're not very rich," she said, puffing out her cheeks. "So I thought I could find some magical herbs to make stuff to sell. Why are you here?"

  "Kind of the same reason..." He hesitated, then decided to be honest. "I'm trying to hunt a monster to sell its parts."

  "A monster?" Her eyes lit up with adventure, not fear. "Can I come with? I want to use monster parts!"

  "I don't know, Bacha. I can't promise I can protect you."

  "I can protect myself!" She crouched, assuming a stealthy pose that was more adorable than effective. "They won't even see me."

  He clenched his jaw, torn. But looking at her determined face, he sighed in surrender and nodded. "Okay. But you stay close, and when we see a monster, you hide or you run. Promise?"

  "I'll never leave you behind," she declared, holding onto his arm as they walked. "I'm also looking for stuff for my Laze Powder. I need Moony Moss and Ghosty Mushrooms."

  "Where do you find those?" Paley asked, impressed by her knowledge until he realized she'd likely named them herself.

  "Moony Moss grows on the sad side of old trees," she explained matter-of-factly. "And Ghosty Mushrooms grow inside them, where they have air."

  "You mean hollowed-out trees?"

  "Is that what it means when they have holes?"

  "I think so. Teerom said the more hollow a tree is, the longer it's lived."

  As they conversed, they didn't realize they had crossed an invisible threshold until the very air around them changed. It grew heavy, thick with the musty scent of ancient decay and an overwhelming floral sweetness. The trees swelled to colossal proportions, their branches forming a dense canopy that filtered the morning light into shimmering, emerald rays. The vegetation became unnaturally vibrant. Paley felt a sharp increase in mana, a prickling sensation that made his skin tingle. "A Mana Zone," he breathed.

  "Ooo, Teerom told me about these! I can find all sorts of awesome stuff here!" Bacha looked around excitedly, already grabbing at shimmering leaves and strangely colored flowers.

  They continued on, Paley now on high alert, until they reached an opening that led to a beautiful, shimmering lake. Paley cupped some of the water and used a touch of Healing Magic to check its purity.

  "This is really good water," he said, holding a handful up to Bacha. She blushed and awkwardly drank from his cupped hands. The water was cool and invigorating, waking her from the inside out. Paley let a handful of rich, dark earth crumble through his fingers. "The water, the dirt... everything here has magical properties."

  After a short break, they continued their walk. Paley counted the time in his head; it had been an hour. They needed to be back in less than three to avoid worrying Madella.

  Bacha suddenly pointed at the sky. "Look, Paley! A daytime moon! I don't know which one that is, but that's good luck!" She knelt immediately and clasped her hands. "O Moon, please help me find cool stuff today." She looked up at Paley. "Aren't you going to pray?"

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  "To the moon?"

  "Yeah."

  "W-Why to the moon?"

  "...I don't know. The city people do."

  "Sorry, Bacha." He looked away from the pale crescent and met her eyes. "I think... if I were to have faith in something, it wouldn't be the moon. I'd want something that's always there, whether I can see it or not. Something closer to me than anything else." He offered her a small, still-terrible smile. "Like you guys." She pondered this as they continued their walk.

  They eventually came across a clearing. Paley's arm shot out, stopping Bacha in her tracks. A majestic bird, its feathers a breathtaking swirl of crimson and sapphire, was preening in the sunlight. It hadn't noticed them. It was huge. Paley's eyes widened. "Stay hidden," he whispered, his voice tight. "The reward for this... I bet it could pay for so much." His fear was a cold knot in his stomach, but his resolve hardened into steel.

  Bacha whispered frantic pleas for him to come back, but he was already sneaking around the creature's flank. Crouching behind it, he pressed his palms to the ground. Visualize, he told himself, imagining a cage of earth erupting to trap the bird. He exploded his mana into the spell - four spikes of earth shot up, but he immediately lost control. The spell was beyond his current skill. The earth crumbled, and the beast spun to face him with a deafening shriek. His heart beat a steady, cold rhythm, his expression a mask of stone as the bird reared, its beak like a spear.

  He rolled, dodging a vicious claw swipe as the creature took to the air. Thinking it might flee, he formed a crude rope of earth to try and tether it. But the bird had no plans to leave. It swooped, snatching him in its beak and soaring toward the sky. Bacha screamed his name from below. The bird released him at the top of a massive tree, dropping him into its nest. Inside, five large eggs sat untouched, but one had hatched. The bird monster was trying to feed Paley to its firstborn.

  He saw the fierce, protective glint in the mother bird's eye and thought of Madella. It was a horrible mistake. This wasn't just a monster; it was a mother trying to feed her child. He was going to slaughter her for money? Was that right? As the question bloomed in his heart, true, burning fear finally found him.

  As the mother dropped him toward the chick's waiting beak, he made his choice. 'I'm sorry. I'll be quick. I promise'. The thought felt old and familiar. He spun in mid-air, creating a blade of earth. As he entered the chick's mouth, he carved upward, slicing through its head and down its midsection, killing it in one grim, wet motion.

  For a moment, there was only silence. Paley stood, covered in the chick's blood, and faced the mother. The monster roared, a sound of such primal fury it almost knocked him from the nest. Slashes of wind shot from its beak. He dodged, recognizing the monster's Air Magic. The bird monster supercharged its wings and charged, smashing into him and punching the air from his lungs. He summoned his own Strength Magic to push off, narrowly avoiding being crushed against the tree trunk. Its beak shattered the wood where he had just been. Regret was a bitter taste in his mouth, but it was too late for that now.

  His mind raced. He created two blades of earth, stabbing them into the tree's trunk and using Strength Magic to slow his fall. The bird maneuvered with terrifying speed and charged again. He jumped, letting it crash into the tree, its sharp beak slicing the massive trunk in half. Before he could touch the ground, it turned and pinned him with its claw. A roar of fury deafened him as it prepared a concentrated beam of slicing wind, aimed to obliterate his head. He had overstepped, overestimated himself. He was no Aneros. He was a damn fraud.

  A thud. A small rock bounced off the monster's face. He looked to his left and his blood ran cold. Bacha stood at the edge of the clearing, having thrown the rock. The bird cocked its head, its new target acquired. "Bacha! Run!" he screamed, but she was frozen in terror. 'No! No, this is my fault! I brought her here! She'll die because of me!' The pain of that thought was a physical blow.

  The bird aimed its beam at Bacha. Paley clawed and bit at the talon pinning him, but the creature forced him to watch.

  "How do you have all of them?" a gentle, sweet, perfect, ethereal voice whispered in his mind, clear as a bell. The voice filled him with an intense warmth, a sudden clarity. He summoned the simplest, most reliable magic he knew. Strength. A red glow emanated from his body as he dumped all his remaining mana into the spell. With one hand, he ripped a talon from his chest. With the other, he clawed down its leg, tearing through flesh. He bit into its ankle until the bird recoiled in pain.

  In that split second, he jumped, launching himself toward its head. The beam fired. No. He grabbed the side of the bird's head, propelling himself into the path of the blast. The instant before it hit, he coated himself in a desperate layer of Protection Magic. The attack sent him flying, a large gash torn across his stomach, but he was alive. Bacha ran to his side, quickly mixing herbs and water from her pack.

  "Paley! This can heal you, trust me!" Her quick thinking was unusual for a child her age - she should have been panicking.

  He took the paste and ate it, the bitter taste grounding him. The bleeding slowed. He stood, and Bacha saw true fury on his face for the first time. It pained her to see how much it suited him.

  He overcharged his body with Strength Magic and sprinted. The bird shook off its daze and slashed with a wing talon. He dodged, jumped onto the wing, and drove the sharp talon into the creature's eye. It screeched, stumbling back. He hooked his legs around its head and launched himself onto its back. "You are a monster, so you may not understand," he grunted, his voice raw. "But I will be merciful. I will make this quick." With a fiery red fist, he punched into its back, searching for the heart. He missed. The bird convulsed in agony. He gritted his teeth against the guilt of causing it more pain and struck again. This time, he felt the squishy thrum of the heart beneath his knuckles. He did not stop, driving his fist forward until he felt the great heart fall silent.

  As the colossal bird crashed to the ground, he stood on its back, heaving, panting, and shaking.

  Bacha ran over, fighting the urge to stare in awe. "Do you need more healing stuff, Paley?"

  "Y-Yes please," he gasped, letting himself collapse onto the creature's now-still body.