Is there really such a thing as coincidence?

~Morrigan, The Mysterious Goddess of Fate

Matun was bathed in moonlight while the town slept. Even the guards patrolling the area were quiet, but it was because of the full moon. It was as if the darkness of the early morning hours was collectively holding its breath, waiting for something monumental to happen.

They’d been watching the woods surrounding the town so closely that they didn’t hear the pounding of footsteps from within. It was only after Crow rushed through the town gates and into the forest beyond that they took notice of this anomaly. It was suspicious, but none of the guards wanted to stop him.

Lily was with him and had already tried multiple times to get his attention. The look on his face wasn’t good, and she realized something was wrong, so she stopped trying to distract him. She took it upon herself to protect him by paying attention to the surroundings he was ignoring.

Outside the town and a few kilometers into the forest, Crow found a random clearing and stripped off his clothes before transforming into the Silver-Eyed Crow. Only two seconds had passed from when he entered the clearing until he launched himself into the sky. Lily clung to him, refusing to leave his side.

Worry creased Lily’s brow, but she couldn’t do much when he was in this state. Judging by his easterly direction, she could surmise some of their companions were in trouble. The moon disappeared, and the sun rose, but Crow refused to stop for food or a break. Lily wasn’t sure how long he could maintain this form, but she could tell he was trying to use the most economical solution. Whatever could keep him in the sky longer was the most ideal.

Lily used some of her ability to rejuvenate Crow’s mana, but it was like a drop into the void. It was really starting to worry her that he was overtaxing his Shield. This should only be done in a life or death situation because damaging a cultivator’s foundation needed both time and abundant resources to fix.

After feeling the jolt of lightning, even if Lily was trying to feed him energy, startled Crow. It brought back some self-awareness, and he knew it was time to land. Even if he made it on time, he couldn’t do anything to help in his current state. Spotting a safe area to descend, he dipped below the treeline and—

Thwump.

Crow had exhausted himself to the point he had tunnel vision, and because of that, didn’t notice his mistake until too late. A net of some material he hadn’t recognized had snared him, and without the aid of his wings, he came crashing to the ground. Thanks to the armored feathers, Crow wasn’t seriously injured. The impact made it hard for him to catch his breath, so he struggled in vain to free himself.

The moment the net flew out, Lily disappeared from sight and could only watch helplessly as Crow crashed to the ground. Obviously, their assailant hadn’t realized that Crow wasn’t an actual beast, and based on the net, she knew he wasn’t in immediate danger. It was best if she waited and aided him at the right time.

“You are a Silver-Eyed Crow!” A man exclaimed as he walked over. Crow saw his buckskin pants and broad, bare chest. With his mana depleted, he couldn’t put up much of a fight. “It is okay. You can trust me.”

The man kept talking, and the sound waves kept crashing against his mind.

Fuck! What the hell is a Beastlord doing out here? Crow knew that the attack on his mind was the taming ability trying to numb him and soothe away any fears or resentments. He struggled to resist and couldn’t believe how unbelievably strong this guy’s technique was.

“That’s right, just relax,” the man was only a meter away from Crow.

Night Fire enveloped his Crow’s bird form, and the net surrounding him turned to cinders. The Beastlord stumbled back, not expecting a beast could destroy his favorite net with ease. It was something he crafted himself and should have been viable for at least the next twenty floors.

Once Crow was free, he cocked his head sideways to stare at the man that tried to capture him before transforming back into his human form and collapsing to his knees. His mana really had been overdrawn, but not to the point he had harmed himself. It was a struggle to remain conscious at this point.

“Not beast,” Crow claimed in a hoarse voice. “Crow, son of Maddox?”

“Maddox!?” A woman ran out from behind some trees where she’d been hiding. “C-Crow?”

Crow’s eyes widened in surprise. “Aine? Congrats on your Shield.”

“Ahem,” Aine blushed as her eyes accidentally roamed to his exposed manhood. “Grandpa was right! You can’t keep your clothes on.”

Crow was speechless…

Ahote was speechless…

Cough. “Uh, right,” Crow finally said and turned around while putting on a pair of pants. They weren’t too dissimilar to Ahote’s.

“Did… you transform?” Aine finally asked. In her shock at seeing Crow, she’d forgotten why they were all standing here.

“I did, but that is a conversation for another time,” Crow said, his eyes turned toward Ahote.

“I am Ahote, a Beastlord.”

Crow eyed the two of them and smiled. It was most likely fate that brought them together, but Aine and Ahote appeared compatible. Ever since he’d mastered Myriad of Beasts, he gained a deeper understanding of the connections between people. He still felt like a blind man putting a puzzle together. The connection points could be felt, but he couldn’t see the bigger picture yet. Only when the two ends were near each other could he find how those pieces connected. Like Aine and Ahote, he could feel that intangible bond forming. It was strong too. But while observing them, he felt a wave of dizziness and remembered what he was doing.

“You… have a beast mount?” Crow asked Ahote before breaking out in a coughing fit and spitting up blood.

“Are you, uh, hurt?” Ahote asked, feeling a little guilty.

“Overdrew my mana, mount?”

“Yes?” Ahote replied hesitantly while looking at Aine, who walked toward Crow with concern on her face.

“That way… take me.” Crow tried to ask politely but felt his body tilting and blackness overtaking him. Aine rushed over and caught him before he fell.

“What do we do?” Ahote asked her.

Aine looked the direction Crow pointed and the position of the sun. He wanted them to go east and slightly north.

“And who is he… to you?”

Aine chuckled when she saw how uncomfortable Ahote was. “He’s my cousin. He doesn’t pose a threat to you. And we do as he says.”

“Why?”

“Because he’s the kind of guy you help. You never question it because he never forgets a favor and is the type of person who repays it tenfold. As outstanding as I think you are, we will always be in his shadow. Understand?” Aine explained in her direct way, with no guile or menace. She meant every word.

Ahote stared back into her eyes and strangely did not feel discomfort. Instead, he felt assured because this was the woman he liked. Although he still felt awkward talking to her, her frankness put him at ease. That and her hunting prowess was even better than his.

“Nuk, come!”

The Failinis appeared abruptly and bumped his head against Ahote and then Aine. It was smart enough to recognize that his master had chosen a mate.

“Hand him to me,” Ahote said and carried Crow while climbing onto his beast. Reaching a hand down, he pulled Aine up behind him. A low whistle sent Nuk in the direction Crow pointed.

Lily followed behind them without being seen. She knew of Aine, but she gave Ahote a cold look he tried to capture her man. Even harmed him.

Nuk sensed the urgency, so he did not play around like normal. Lily marveled at its speed, especially since it chose a route that wouldn’t hinder or harm its riders. So it wove a path between the trees with the fewest limbs and obstructions.

“So, your cousin learned the Druid’s most notable spell?” Ahote asked because once the beast blood in his veins was purer, he’d have the same capability. However, Druids were different. They could take on multiple forms depending on their comprehension. Ahote only knew all this because Beastlords existed largely because Shamans of the Tribe were attempting to mimic the Druid’s Beast Aspect.

“I… don’t know. The Druid Order supposedly lost that spell long ago, and no one has learned it in the last ten thousand years as far as I know.” Aine’s brow furrowed as she thought about it. The only conclusion she could come up with was that Mugna taught him. Those two always had a close bond. “I’m going to tell you about my cousin, but I’m trusting you to keep it to yourself.”

Aine talked for hours about Crow’s complicated life and how he suffered silently. Training every day. Working toward a goal no one could fathom. The things Crow could do, even at a young age. The more Ahote heard, the more stunned he became.

“There is anger in him, but even with that, his heart has always been good.”

“You admire him that much?” Ahote asked and suddenly felt inferior to the peerless genius in his arms.

“I do, but don’t worry,” she said and tightened her arms around his waist. “I don’t want that kind of existence. I’m willing to help and do anything for him because he is family, but I don’t even want to walk the same path he does. Those women around him…” Aine sighed. “Knowing what he is, they still chose him. I’m glad he has them supporting him.”

Ahote was quiet after that. His people didn’t dwell on problems like most did. They were simple people that admired warriors, and even if they felt inferior, they rarely felt jealous. From what he heard, Crow was worthy of respect, and Ahote would never be envious of a person like that. Crow knew that greatness was often forged in hardship and grief, and no sane person would willingly suffer that for power. Aine’s cousin was pitiable because he lived without a mother or father by his side most of his life. Ahote would never wish for that type of fate, nor would he wish it on others.

Not to mention the type of people that would willingly walk shoulder to shoulder with him on his journey. Few would willingly walk alongside the embodiment of calamity. Even Ahote felt slightly fearful of the man in his arms and was instantly relieved when Aine said she didn’t want to be his follower. And shortly after that relief, he felt guilt. He was no coward, but he wanted a life with less drama and conflict. He didn’t want to kill fellow humans and was only interested in finding rare and unique beasts.

“I’m willing to walk beside you on our ascension and will help your cousin when needed. But, like you, I’d prefer not traveling with him.”

“Heh, don’t blame you,” Crow’s hoarse voice floated up toward them. “I’m not judging you, and I’ll take it as a favor if you continue to care for my cousin. It’d put my mind at ease knowing she had someone capable and reliable by her side.”

“Told you,” Aine said softly beside Ahote’s ear before reaching around him and pushing Crow’s hair out of his face. “Future young master. Does that mean you give me your blessing?”

“I do,” Crow chuckled but remembered Brian, her constant shadow while growing up. “Just be sure you resolve… other friendships.”

Aine flushed, knowing what Crow meant. “We had a falling out. Blame Loch for bad-mouthing you. I couldn’t stand it anymore, and Brian refused to take my side while defending you. He isn’t worthy of me, so I was out here alone. If it wasn’t for Ahote…” Aine sighed, and Ahote used his free hand to pat her leg.

Crow turned to look at Aine’s downcast eyes and knew she was telling the truth. “Then I really have no reason to object, even if I had the right to do so.”

“You have the right! In my eyes, you are the future clan head of Maddox.”

“If I told you to leave Ahote, would you really do it?” Crow laughed at her serious face.

“You’d never do that. I know you wouldn’t, but getting your blessing puts my heart at ease.”

“Have you asked him how he feels?” Crow saw the red creeping up Ahote’s neck as they continued to talk about him as if he wasn’t there.

“I am willing to follow her to the end,” Ahote said softly.

Crow suddenly felt out of sorts having this conversation. He felt like a dad giving his daughter away in marriage, which made him feel uncomfortable. Pointing toward the north, he said, “that way.”

“What are we doing here?” Aine asked.

“Saving my wives and my bastard son.”

“Y-you have a son?” Aine was shocked.

“Hah, no. Acco is an Astrologer that joined up with me. Well, it’s more like he is my damned nemesis. So I torture that single dog whenever I can.”

“Jerk! I fucking heard that,” Acco said, appearing on a boulder nearby.

“Where are they?” Crow asked.

“It’s bad, and it was not my fault.”

“Tell me.”

“Song Xue isn’t waking up. Once they escaped, she just collapsed. Her sister said it isn’t a physical or mental issue.”

Crow had a bad premonition.