A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

When I regained consciousness, I found myself lying on the cold ground, my senses still swimming in the aftermath of whatever just happened.

Slowly, I opened my eyes, and four towering figures loomed over me, their expressions somewhere between curiosity and mild amusement—as if I were some sort of rare specimen under a microscope.

"Oh, he's finally awake," Agnos said, his tone light but tinged with mild exasperation. "Took you longer this time, huh?"

I blinked, still feeling the grogginess tugging at me.

Naga, the founder of MECCP and one of the Unknown Gods of Mythica (the one responsible for the Metal Leylines, no less), peered at me with an expression that was a blend of concern and...something else.

When he saw I was awake, his smile stretched wider, revealing subtle dragon fangs. His emerald eyes glowed with an intense, almost predatory light. "Carl, are you alright? Everything okay?"

I groaned in response, rubbing my head.

Then there was Jiuge, the Unknown God who resembled a nine-tailed fox goddess. She stood with her arms crossed, but her eyes were bright with fascination.

"Interesting," she said, her voice laced with intrigue. "You really did manage to absorb the leyline fragments. What's it like, Carl? Tell me."

I blinked at her, still processing what was going on.

Viracocha, the Incan God, looked pensive as he studied me, his face thoughtful. "You made quite a few contorting expressions while you were unconscious," he mused. "Why's that? What did you encounter?"

I raised my hand weakly, pushing them away from my face. "Everyone, please. Personal space," I muttered, my voice hoarse. "You're suffocating me."

They all stepped back, though their eyes still lingered on me, a mixture of concern and curiosity. The feeling of being under a microscope was all too real.

Now that I had a moment to breathe, I took in my surroundings and mentally braced myself for whatever came next.

"I met Kaleon," I said simply, not sure how else to explain the whirlwind encounter.

Naga's eyes widened with a mix of awe and curiosity. He was the first to speak, his voice eager. "You met Master? How is he? Is he well?"

I hesitated. "Well, not Kaleon Kaleon... His will."

Naga blinked, then smiled. "Doesn't matter, it's the same." His eyes shone with reverence.

"I also met Creation and Destruction," I added, watching the reactions unfold.

At the mention of those two, a collective gasp filled the air. Viracocha's gasp was the most dramatic, his eyebrows shooting up as though he had seen a ghost.

"Who are you?" Viracocha asked, his voice a blend of disbelief and awe. "Even we, the creation gods, have never encountered Kaleon's powers."

Agnos interrupted, his voice filled with astonishment. "Not just the gods... Even we, the Unknow Gods of the leylines, have never met them."

Naga, his expression a mix of awe and something almost like envy, stammered, "Y-you met the gods of power?" He looked almost defeated, sulking for a moment before composing himself.

"Err... Is that a big deal?" I asked, unsure of what kind of reaction I was supposed to give.

"Yes!" All of them responded in unison.

The questions started to pile up, one after the other, but I held up my hand to stop them. "We need to restore the leylines first," I said firmly. The last thing I wanted was to get sidetracked by their incessant curiosity.

"Kaleon told me how to restore the leylines," I began, taking a deep breath. I rummaged through my vest and pulled out the core fragment, which I initially thought (thanks to Agnos and Queen Isadora, was a dragon scale) holding it carefully in my hands.

"Although this is the core's fragment," I said, showing it to them. "But it's not part of the core. Kaleon said it's like a spare battery. It works only when I activate it with the will and essence he imparted in me."

Viracocha's eyes widened in surprise. "You mean this core fragment is uniquely yours?"

Agnos nodded thoughtfully, his eyes glimmering with understanding. "No wonder the fragment points to you. It really is made for you."

Jiuge, always quick to ask questions, leaned forward eagerly. "So how do we restore the leylines? Do we just use the core fragment?"

I nodded. "Yes. I just need to place this near the main node, and then the rest is up to the fragment core."

Without wasting another moment, I carefully approached the main node of the Metal Leylines and placed the core fragment nearby.

As soon as I did, I felt a surge of power flow from within me into the fragment. It glowed brightly, rising into the air above the node. The main node flickered to life, its light now blindingly bright, far more intense than it had been moments before.

Suddenly, Naga, who had been standing near me, floated off the ground. His eyes closed, his body began to glow with a vibrant green light.

Then, in an instant, he transformed. His dragon form was magnificent, regal in every sense of the word. His emerald eyes shone with power as his massive body coiled around the main node, channeling his dragon energy into the leylines.

A pulse of dragon power radiated from Naga, a pressure that should have been intimidating, but surprisingly, I felt no fear.

Instead, I felt a steady flow of energy coursing through me, a stream of power that seemed to wash over the entire area. Slowly, the desolate surroundings began to shift, transforming before my eyes.

Where once there had been only barren land, now minerals, ores, and metal deposits began to emerge. Life returned to the area, creatures of metal affinity stirred, their bloodlines awakened, their powers surging.

Within moments, the Metal Leylines were restored to their former glory. The pulse of life and energy from the leylines was unmistakable, a sign that the balance was returning.

I stood there in awe, watching the once-dead area come back to life before me. It was incredible. Impossible. Yet here it was.

The Metal realm reborn.