---
Star answered with a proud trill and leapt skyward. He circled the tower rafters in a blur, claws clicking wood, before landing on the windowsill like a tiny herald of victory.
A golden screen shimmered before Zephyr's eyes:
[Stage 4 Unlocked – Rise of the Juvenile
Objectives: Raise Star's core grade to Level-E.
Expand host bloodline purity to 35 % (current 30 %).
Claim regional sky-territory: complete a 5 km flight circuit within 60 days.
Reward: Dragon-Sovereign Bond – Command Aura Tier 2 (area roar). ]
He read the text and told Fenna they needed to train Star. Fenna whistled. "Five kilometres... full flight. He'll need updrafts, and we'll need to dodge Guild eyes."
Zephyr reached for his cloak. "First step: more core fragments or another beast core." Outside the ragged window, distant ridges glimmered with new snow. "Stonejaw Range can provide what we need, if we stay alive long enough."
After a breakfast of fish broth, pine-root soup, and a dash of pepper to chase chill from their bones, Zephyr spread parchment on the floor. He marked their battered tower with a charcoal X. Fenna added known hazards, the raptor plateau, last night's tunnel choke, an abandoned copper mine. Star waddled across the map, tail tracing spirals.
"You want to scout too, eh?" Zephyr laughed. A flicker of image flashed along their bond, sun on wings, clouds rushing past. "Soon," he promised.
By midday they set out. Zephyr carried a light pack and short bow made from tree branches and bark as bow String. Fenna slung her herb satchel and bone dagger. Star rode Zephyr's shoulder until the ridge path opened then gilded ahead in playful sweeps.
The valley tiers unrolled: clustered pines, bare granite shelves, a frozen creek that whispered beneath glassy ice. Dragon Sense warned of D-rank frost boars wallowing west, a lone C-rank stone cougar stalking south. No Guild people mana detected.
Higher up, a cliff ledge overlooked a miniature canyon. Icicles hung like fangs. Across the gap, slate nests riddled a pillar wall, Cliff Basilisk fledglings. This place is rumored to hold rare crystals in gizzards.
Zephyr studied them. "Tempting, but we'll need stronger flight control." Fenna agreed; they sketched the canyon on the parchment.
While descending scree path, Dragon Sense tingled. He felt two humanoid mana signatures ahead. He raised a hand. Fenna drew her dagger. They rounded a bend and found a ragged camp. They saw a teenage boy, trembling, spear out, shielding an even younger girl with a feverish glaze to her eyes.
"Back off!" the boy yelled, voice cracking. Star peered from Zephyr's collar, curious.
"We're travelers, not thieves," Zephyr said slowly, palms open. Fenna's healer instinct rolled out calm like warm rain.
The girl's bandaged arm drew Fenna's gaze. "Let me see," she asked. Hesitation, then permission. The wound was a Stoneclad beast slash, half-infected. Fenna cleaned it with moonleaf water and wrapped fresh bandages while murmuring gentle nonsense.
"Raptors jumped our caravan," the boy named Luke explained. "Guards fell. We ran with my sister Mira."
Zephyr's jaw tightened, raptors again. He exchanged a glance with Fenna. "Your camp isn't safe," he said. "Our camp tower is very close. Come there's at least walls and fire."
Need trumped fear. They agreed.
Night wrapped the tower in starlight. Fenna simmered tin cups of herb broth. Luke and Mira huddled by the hearth, eyes wide at Star.
"It's a Hollowback scout wyrm," Zephyr said. They gave amazed stares at Star.
Luke's shoulders sagged after supper. "Our cart held healer crystals bound for Eastmere village. All lost. The Guild will blame us for the shortage. We must avoid them at any cost."
Zephyr frowned. "Guild patrols already roam these peaks?"
Luke nodded. "We saw banner lights three ridges south."
Fenna's glance to Zephyr was sharp. Hideout compromise inbound.
"You may rest here for the nights," Zephyr offered, "then we'll escort you to safer slopes." Gratitude shone in Luke's tired eyes.
At dawn, Star's drills filled the tower yard. He was leaping from a boulder, gliding thirty-plus meters before landing. Wing Power +1. New span forty-six centimetres. Zephyr's applause echoed off ruin walls.
Luke wandered out, spear lowered in awe. "He obeys like a dog, but... majestic." Zephyr winked. "Bond training."
Trust grew quickly. Luke handed over a caravan route map dotted with beast dens. Zephyr tucked it in his cloak. It will be helpful for them.
Afternoon sun dipped when a sudden spike struck Zephyr's Dragon Sense, three human mana signatures atop the western ridge, disciplined, masked with slate-etched armor. Guild scouts.
A flare wand hissed crimson into the pale blue sky. Zephyr slid down the tower ladder, heart pounding. "Guild watchers are here."
Fenna's face paled. Luke swore. Mira whimpered.
Zephyr's gaze dropped to Luke's map, the scribbled hot-spring cave east of here. Steam could hide heat signatures.
"We move now," he decided. "Twilight will cover, no torches."
They packed in minutes. Mira lay on a sled of pine poles. Fenna slung the nest bag, Star inside blinking at the sudden chaos. Luke carried rations and crystals. Snow began to fall, large flakes muffling the world.
Red flare's glow faded behind them, but other flares bloomed farther south. The Guild spread its net.
Zephyr led, Dragon Sense sweeping. Twice hostile mana flickered, frost boar packs but a pulse of low Command Aura deterred them. Star growled softly whenever hidden eyes lingered.
Hours dragged. Wind howled. Mira dozed beneath blankets. Luke's breaths became ragged but steady.
Finally steam wreathed the night air, iron-scented, warm. They reached the mouth of a cavern lit by red mineral veins. Heat rolled over them. Snow melted into swirling mist.
Safe at least from the cold.