Bushes were crushed and branches snapped. Something slid across the ground and gravel was kicked up, knocking against the nearby trees and rocks. The loud noises driving away everything in the area. A dull thump rung out in the newly created clearing, the sound of two powerful bodies crashing together. Hide and muscle smashing together, backed by bones that resisted the impact, neither side giving way. Two creatures circled each other, one of them a black wolf the size of a draft horse, the other a ten foot long green serpent. At least, that’s what was most noticeable from a cursory glance. A closer look would show that the ‘wolf’ didn’t have paws like a canine. Instead it had large talons on four large toes, and a pair of wings on its back.

The serpent on the other hand, had a very unusual back ridge along with the head and claws of a dragon. The two beasts had already clashed a few dozen times, both of them showing a few superficial cuts and scrapes from the conflict. The scruff of the wolf’s neck was hanging loose, torn from a large cut. The serpent had a dozen scales on its flank knocked out of place by three bleeding puncture holes. The two beasts stared each other down for a moment, their eyes both changing to show a serious intent. The warm up was over.

The wolf leaped into the air and expanded its wings. Fifteen foot long wings thrust downwards and the wolf dashed through the air, darting upwards, looking like it was shot out of a cannon. The wolf circled around the clearing a few times at high altitude before angling into a dive. The serpent stopped swaying its neck around and uncoiled its long, flexible body. No longer looking like a snake about to strike, it braced its four limbs and scrunched up its body. Just like a turtle pulling in its head, the serpent straightened and tightened its spine. The strange ridge showed its purpose, the odd plates fitting perfectly together to form an uninterrupted cutting edge along its spine.

The wolf didn’t seem to understand, having already committed to its fearsome dive. Four sets of four talons fell from the sky like a meteor. The talons spread wider, they weren’t the real weapon but a follow up. It aimed to strike with the palm between the four talons like four palms falling from the sky. Once the palms strike and cause disorientation, the talons snap closed, the powerful grip driving in the sharp points and securing a hold for the wolf to tear into the throat of its prey.

Unfortunately, it didn’t understand the significance of the serpent’s stance and just when its palms were about to smash against the serpent’s face it felt something go wrong. The serpent ducked its head and somersaulted forward. The blade segments on its back separated again, but the full length of its tail stayed locked together. Using the momentum of the forward roll, its tail flashed forward and with a slight tilt it turned into a wide slash. A nearly four foot long blade cutting the wolf from its left shoulder down to its right hip. Blood spilled onto the ground with a loud splash, but the wolf didn’t fall.

Dive attack having failed completely it flapped its wings a few more times and lifted back into the air after skidding a few times on the dirt. Blood dripped from it as it flew around the clearing. Its purple eyes fixed upon the serpent and started to glow. Violet colored light coalesced in the air in front of the wolf and shot down at the serpent like a laser beam. The beam drew a line across the serpent’s side and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. The wolf’s eyes were glowing, a small orb of energy floating in front of its forehead releasing more and more beams of destructive energy, igniting the underbrush and knocking down a couple trees.

The wolf halted its bombardment for a moment to let the smoke and dust from its assault to clear. The serpent had coiled up once again and had opened its mouth wide. Jaw distended, its open maw was like an upside down umbrella. The wolf was confused, firing another beam of energy down at the serpent’s face. The green beast just lifted its head higher and caught the beam of violet energy in its mouth. Instead of slicing off its lower jaw like the wolf thought would happen, its energy completely disappeared. Thinking it had already finished the fight, the wolf suddenly got a bit nervous. Already bleeding heavily, it sneered down at the serpent and leaned to the side. It would be back another day to repay this insult.

Or so it thought. Down below, the serpent wasn’t about to let the wolf get away. The tip of its tail was glowing a violet color just like the energy beams released by the wolf. Closing its mouth it flicked its tail towards the wolf and a flash of energy arced out to smash against the wolf’s right wing. It tumbled through the sky and fell down towards the ground. The serpent burst into motion slithering its body from side to side while also digging its claws in to run. It seemed a bit awkward, but it made it to where the wolf had fallen and suddenly spit out a sticky web, binding two of the wolf’s feet to a rock. The wolf’s eyes glowed again and another beam of light lanced out. The serpent ducked the beam and swung its body to the side. Swinging its tail out to attack it took only a roll of its hips and the vertical spine blade became a horizontal one, swinging like a sword to slice the wolf’s throat.

The light in the wolf’s eyes quickly faded as did its violet energy. The serpent just rolled and spun a few more times to avoid the last few attacks before the wolf had finally breathed its last. The serpent opened its mouth and looked like it was about to dig in, then it stopped and closed its mouth. A place on its chest started to glow and a minute later a human was standing where the serpent had been.

Sage stretched out, feeling his flesh recovering at a rapid rate. The punctures and burns from his battle with the Grim Skywolf were nearly healed after just a few minutes. After his metamorphosis was complete, he set things up so the Tiankong Retreat could run on its own. The Hoplites there would raise and train combat mounts and resource bugs. Sage had already bred a unique mount for his troops, which he called a Vulture Gecko. They weren’t all that powerful, but they were pretty flashy. About twenty feet long, four feet high, and with a thirty foot wingspan. They looked like giant silver geckos with a set of feathered wings along with the neck ruffle and beak of a vulture. They could climb up walls and fly making them versatile mounts.

Once that was done, Sage left for Bronze Tiger province, leaving Eightfold Kingdom and heading into the Dou Kingdom. After checking up on the first hoplite village he asked King to help spread the advancements from Tiankong Retreat. Each village should raise more Vulture Geckos. He wanted to add in Alarm Crickets and Thorn Cloud Hornets, but those were created back at the Holy Flame Sect and didn’t want such a direct connection to show up. Newly established Hoplite villages were just tasked with reproducing, they would exist as supply stops for his company as well as reinforcement farms.

Sage used his Black Dog Company badge to form a Mercenary team, ‘Jade Horde’. Then he had a dozen of the Hoplites register for badges and started taking a few jobs. The Grim Skywolf was one of his targets, it had been harassing local hunters from afar. It had caused them many grievous injuries as well as stolen their kills. Sage had been fighting most of the beasts in his true form to get used to his new body. The others he’d had the Hoplites take on, making sure their ancestral memories were intact. Their main purpose was to act as an army after all and he instilled them with phalanx style shield wall tactics.