A Zoologist’s Guide to Surviving Magical Creatures

I couldn't shake the image of the memory that flashed through my mind when I touched the third fragment.

The way the world had felt familiar, yet utterly alien.

I couldn't tell if it was a memory or something from the future—an unsettling thought.

I had no idea why I was there, or why I had to experience it.

Was this all some grand cosmic joke?

Or was there a deeper reason?

One thing was certain: my mind couldn't focus, and the heavy weight of uncertainty kept gnawing at me.

My thoughts were interrupted by a soft purr, followed by a weight on my shoulder.

Agnos—of course—had decided to join me, his furry little paws snug against my neck as he nestled in, his usual presence calming, but this time, even he couldn't ease the storm in my head.

"Carl?" Agnos's voice, low and purring like the hum of a cat that had all the time in the world, startled me. "You've been staring at that fragment for far too long."

I blinked and rubbed my forehead, trying to focus. "Sorry, Agnos. Just… thinking."

He flicked an ear lazily. "I can tell. We've collected three of the fragments now, haven't we? Only four more to go."

I sighed, glancing at the glowing fragment on my hand.

It felt heavy, both in the literal and metaphorical sense. I hadn't expected any of this to be easy, but the path was more twisted than I'd imagined.

I handed the fragment to Agnos, and, like usual, he ate it. I could never get used to seeing that. It was as if the fragment was just another piece of hard rock candy.

"So, where are we headed next?"

Agnos stretched out, his tail flicking lazily in the air. "Next stop is Mictlan."

The word alone was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

"Mictlan? What's that?"

"Mictlan is one of the many lands of the dead in Mythica. You've heard of the afterlife, haven't you?"

I stared at him blankly. "Wait, there are multiple lands of the dead here?"

Agnos's golden eyes narrowed. "Of course. It's not just one place. The world of the departed is vast, and Mictlan is one of the more… renowned lands."

I couldn't help but feel a lump form in my throat.

Was this a simple collection job, or was I being pulled into something much darker?

"How do we even get there?"

"Simple," Agnos purred. "We need to cross the Bridge of Souls."

I raised an eyebrow. "Bridge of Souls? That sounds... ominous."

Agnos, as usual, remained unbothered by my growing sense of dread. "It's a spiritual pathway for souls to cross into Mictlan. It's the only way in, really. But it's safe, so don't worry."

Safe?

Easy for him to say, he was a literal cat-god guardian of the spirit leylines.

Me?

I was just a guy with a worn out buggy and an overactive imagination.

"Yeah, safe..." I muttered under my breath.

I glanced over at our buggy, still parked in the middle of nowhere, and sighed. "Well, let's get going."

But as I started the engine, the buggy sputtered, making an awful sound before the AI system suddenly pinged.

Battery Low. Recharge Needed.

"Ugh, come on!" I slammed my hand on the dashboard, irritated. "Not now."

The buggy came to a complete stop, the dashboard lights flickering before shutting down completely.

I looked down at Agnos, who hadn't moved a muscle, his eyes half-closed as though this was just another day in the life of a celestial being.

"You're not gonna help, are you?" I asked, already knowing the answer.

Agnos gave me a slow blink. "I'm here, aren't I?"

Great.

I was stuck with a dead vehicle and a cat who could summon spirits but couldn't lift a finger to help me recharge the battery.

Brilliant.

I pulled out my phone, hoping there was some kind of signal here in the middle of nowhere.

Thankfully, there was.

I dialed Fiona, who picked up almost immediately.

"Carl? You okay?" Her voice sounded muffled, like she was at a party or something. The background noise was almost deafening.

"Hey, Fiona, so… my buggy's dead. Any chance you've got a ride I can borrow?"

There was a long pause on the other end, followed by a very loud whoo-hoo! that almost made me wince. "Of course, you can! Just call a mechanic. You can find one through the app. I'll send you the link."

I raised an eyebrow at the sudden casualness in her tone. "An app?"

"Yeah, it's like a 24/7 mechanic hotline, Carl. Just look it up, and they'll pick up your buggy and take it to the workshop. It's no big deal."

I couldn't believe how nonchalant she was about this. App for a mechanic? This place was getting weirder by the minute.

********

A few minutes later, the app delivered as promised. A massive demigod mechanic truck rumbled up, and I found myself staring at a hulking figure who seemed way too enthusiastic about his job.

"I'm Dino!" he boomed. "I'll take care of your buggy, no problem!"

His booming voice startled me. "Uh, thanks; I'm Carl," I said, still trying to process everything that was happening.

Dino, a demigod with a thick beard and an unsettling grin, gestured for me to hop into his truck.

Agnos jumped up onto the makeshift hammock in the back, looking more irritated than usual.

I followed, throwing one last glance at the buggy that had, for all intents and purposes, given up on life.

As we drove to the workshop, I couldn't help but ask, "So how long is this going to take?"

Dino's grin stretched even wider. "Oh, no problem. Shouldn't take more than five days to get your buggy back to full charge."

I blinked. "Five days?"

"Yup. It's an old model. Those batteries aren't easy to find anymore. And even if we recharge it, it'll probably die again the next day. You'll need a whole new battery."

"How am I going to get to The Bridge of Souls to Mictlan now?" Agnos looked up at me with that same lazy expression.

"Five days... or you could take the coach," suggested Dino.

"Coach?" I repeated, staring at Dino.

"Yeah. It crosses the Bridge of Souls. It'll take you right to Mictlan, no problem."

Wait, what?

That's where we were heading, and there was a coach that crossed the Bridge of Souls like it was just another bus route?

"Is Mictlan a tourist spot now?" I asked, half in disbelief.

Dino chuckled, his voice deep and gravelly. "You'd be surprised. People visit from all over. Some for the sightseeing, others for... educational purposes."

I swallowed hard, trying to digest the absurdity of it all. "So… how do I get on this coach?"

"Easy," Dino said, showing me his phone. "Just buy the ticket online. You go to the meeting point, and the coach picks you up. You'll be there in no time."

I stood there for a moment, letting everything sink in. "And how do I get to the meeting point?"

"I can drop you and your cat off," Dino offered. "No charge. Consider it my way of helping you out."

I didn't even think twice. "Thanks, Dino. I appreciate it."

After paying for the repairs and the unreasonably long wait, I got into the back of Dino's truck, Agnos once again perched on his hammock, and we made our way to the drop-off point.

As we drove, I couldn't help but wonder—what was waiting for me in Mictlan?

And why did I have the feeling that the hardest part of this journey was still ahead?

The Bridge of Souls wasn't just a path to the land of the dead—it was a place that could change everything.

And I had no idea what lay on the other side.