Primal Dawn

One Splash. Then many. Was there a puddle in this next hallway? Beneath Peter's feet he saw only dry stone. A few steps later, he spotted something peculiar. A wall of water sat evenly on the stone floor, roughly two inches in height. The strange part was how abruptly it began, making it look like some invisible container was holding it. Using his foot, he kicked backwards at the edge, and it splashed behind him. When it landed on the bare floor, it quickly began to dry up before disappearing. 

Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kalista and Gaia had stopped, turning slightly to see what he was doing. He wondered whether it was safe to drink, when he heard a crackling sound up ahead.

"Shit! Get out of the water!" Levi screamed. Some of the tamers and primals began to turn around, others were slow to react and immediately caused a jam in the tight space.

Peter grabbed Kalista and Gaia and pulled them both towards him, sending himself backwards onto the floor. Just as the three landed, the crackling sound erupted with a loud boom, and the sound of water being flayed rapidly approached them. Struggling to see what was going on, he saw arcs of yellow light flashing across the surface of the pool as water splashed everywhere. 

Bzzzt. The expressions of the tamers and primals alike were twisted in pain for a brief instant before the sound ended, then they began to collapse, twitching in the water as yellow arcs waved over them.

Some of the primals managed to remain standing, their faces contorted, struggling to turn or move.

Peter’s breathing quickened. He pulled Gaia and Kalista closer.

“Peter, are you hurt?!” One of them shouted, he wasn’t sure which. He just pulled them even tighter.

"Ku, ku, ku, ku," small choking-like sounds could be heard, each following another impact sound, though these were softer than the initial one.

Peter exhaled sharply. "We need to get the tamers out of the water!" A command as much for himself as it was for his primals. The three rose to their feet and Peter ran towards the nearest man and lifted him by his collar. 

“Ku, ku, ku.” 

Peter finished dragging the first tamer out of the water, the sound of something heavy hitting stone rang out from the front. He looked upwards, but the still standing primals were obscuring what was going on.

"Somethings going on up there," Peter said as he desperately looked towards Kalista. "You have to get up there, shove everyone out of the way if you have to!" Kalista nodded. "Gaia, check if he needs healing," Peter said as he ran to grab additional tamers.

One by one, Kalista toppled and knocked aside anyone standing in the hallway to make it to the front. As she progressed further, Peter saw a flash of yellow fur quickly shoot forward, followed by another choking noise.

Finally, he saw Levi's Taurus, pressed against the wall and getting wailed on as he brought back a second Tamer. "Gaia, heal the Taurus, or she's going to die! 

"On it, Heal!" A green regenerative effect began to encapsulate the Taurus. Standing as stiff as a statue while blood rolled off her chin..

"Keep healing!"

It was a tug of war between whatever primal was currently pounding on the Taurus, and Gaia's healing. The damage was mounting up, and while Gaia was healing her she couldn’t take care of the tamers. Kalista finally made it to the front, carrying her sword like a battering ram.

"Vengeance!" A piercing scream followed with a flash of something yellow falling towards the water. Kalista soon disappeared around the bend in the hallway, and the Taurus began to slump down against the wall, gravity reclaiming her into a slumped position.

"Heal her a little more then use cure!"

Gaia nodded. "Heal! Cure!" The Taurus shivered for a moment then gradually stood up, looking back towards them. 

"Many… thanks!" She breathed before stumbling behind Kalista, ax in hand.

Peter continued to grab the tamers, bringing them out of the water and towards Gaia. She would check their condition and heal them depending on how critical they seemed. Soon the primals began to move again, those at the front worriedly shaking their tamers.

"If they're not in danger, go join the fight!" Peter angrily shouted while pointing towards the end of the hallway. He had no idea what was on the other side, but Kalista and the Taurus were currently fighting on their own.

"Please, my tamer, I feel our bond weakening!" A Goblin shouted.

Peter rushed over and picked his front half up. "Grab the legs!" They carried the man towards Gaia who quickly began to heal him. "We'll take it from here, go fight with the others!"

"Thank you!" the Goblin cried.

By now, the rest of the primals were no longer paralyzed and had all left, and some of the tamers were also coming free of the effect. A few began to complain that they needed healing as well, crowding around Gaia.

"Aren't you worried about your primals?" He angrily reprimanded. That got most of them to run towards the battle, which was growing louder and louder.

As Gaia finished healing the last tamer, she collapsed on her back, her chest rising up and down as she breathed heavily.

"Gaia!" Peter ran towards her in a panic.

"Peter…" she whispered. "Come closer…"

"Are you all right?! Oh no, I made you heal too much!"

"I need, I need…" she groaned.

"What?! A healing potion? Does anyone have a healing potion?!" He shouted as he looked around. Though they were healed enough to prevent fatal injury, there were still a few tamers left unconscious nearby.

"I need…" Peter brought his head closer to hers. Gaia suddenly pulled his face towards her. "Mwah," she kissed him. "I just need a rest," she giggled.

"Hoh. You scared me!"

Gaia giggled again. "Can I have another? It’ll give me a boost."

Peter bent down and kissed her again, this one far more passionate and longer. "That's enough for now," she said. "Go help Kalista."

"Right!"

Peter ran down the corridor and turned the bend. He made it only a few steps before he stopped, frozen in awe.

At the center was a giant stump, the inside completely hollowed out leaving only a solid shell, water flowing from its innards and pouring out the sides.

The ground was a mixture of moss, sand, and dirt, with a small stream flowing past and towards two doorways- the exit of the room and the entrance Peter was standing at.

Brush and plants lined two corners, vines spreading all across the walls. That was a surprise. Despite the appearance of the area, it was indeed a room still, and therefore had walls. When he used his hand to cover the spot where the fake sun shined, he could barely make out the very high ceiling around it.

Peter looked around for the yellow primal from before, only to spot a small piece of golden fur lying on the ground a few feet away from him.

Despite being outnumbered, four ferals were presently holding their own against the tamers with their primals. All four were heavily armored, their entire bodies encased in thick armor and holding what may as well have been giant doors and using them as shields. Three were fully suited with wood, while one was encased in what looked like iron. 

A few leaves suddenly fell from above them, and Peter looked upwards and briefly noticed something metallic reflected in the light.

“There’s something in the tree!”Peter shouted as he pointed upwards.

A few primals including Kalista looked up just in time to spot an arrow flying towards them. Kalista moved her head to the side letting it pass by her head, and embedded itself in the thigh of a primal behind her. The primal let out a yelp and bent over clutching her bleeding leg.

“Tch,” Kalista clicked in annoyance as she struggled to help against the armored ferals and now found herself being attacked from above.

“It’s an Elf!” A tamer excitedly shouted.

“An Elf?” A few tamers perked up at this observation.

Some of the ranged primals moved back and began to volley attacks towards the Elf, but she nimbly dodged jumping from one branch to another. Now that she was no longer hiding, Peter was better able to see what she looked like.

Silver hair almost like the moon, she wore a white and gold jerkin that ended in a short frilled skirt halfway across her thighs. Each jump caused it to bounce up revealing her white undergarments.

“Kalista, dodge!” Peter shouted as the Elf fired off another arrow towards her.

She managed to avoid it and angrily looked towards the elf. “That’s it.” She shoved past the primals crowding the ferals and joined the ranged attackers. “Price of Life!” Blood began to seep out from her body, as well as some of the injured primals nearby, who panicked upon seeing their blood begin to float away from them.

Kalista’s crimson blade greedily devoured the supply of red liquid and grew its aura. Once it reached its peak, Kalista reeled her arms back, and patiently watched the elf as she avoided more of the primals’ attacks.

A few seconds passed and Kalista suddenly swung, “Wave!”

A wide crescent flew upwards, the Elf halfway between jumping from one branch to another. She spotted it just in time and twisted her body to kick off from the trunk, avoiding the attack but now free falling.

“Capture! Capture! Capture!” the tamers began to chant.

She began to pull back on the large bow, despite it currently being pointed up towards the ceiling. Peter wondered what she was up to.

Seconds passed and she continued to fall, and the arrow she had knocked began to glow more and more.

A mere twenty feet above the ground, she abruptly twisted and faced the ranged primals and shot. The fast moving projectile landed square in the forehead of a Goblin, who briefly raised her hands up in the air as if to yank it out, only to freeze and then slump forward, landing on the ground with a thud.

A few seconds later, the ground began to shudder beneath her, and moss rose and took on the shape of short tendrils and began to pull her beneath their surface.

Peter sprinted towards the Goblin and began to pull upwards on her body, desperately trying to free her. “Help me!” he shouted.

“She’s dead,” a nearby tamer shook his head. “There’s no saving her. The Dungeon has already claimed her, one way or another.”

Peter struggled for a short while, but as his fingers became slick with sweat his grip faltered for a brief moment, and this was all that the dungeon needed. She was gone. His fists pounded on the floor where she had just been. The moss which had been beneath her neatly rearranged itself and returned to normal, like there had never been anything there in the first place.

He looked up to see that the primals had finally broken through the defenses of the wooden ferals. Only the Elf who had been disarmed and knocked out and the Iron feral remained.

Weapons and claws alike clanged on its hard exterior. Even though its armor was strong enough to deflect many blows, it still continued to move its shield to block attacks.

A nearby Slime began to launch balls of slime on it, and gradually the feral’s movements slowed to a halt, like a frozen statue. Some of the primals then slowly approached it and carefully removed its helmet, revealing a furious face that twisted and shouted while still unable to move her body. A careful blow quickly silenced her, and the battle was over.

Levi’s Taurus approached the tamers. “Does anyone have a potion?” She was heavily bruised and bleeding. Despite Gaia’s healing, she was still in critical condition.

“Can’t your Dryad heal her?” one of the tamers asked.

Peter shook his head. “She’s tapped out. It took everything just to keep everyone alive back there.

Levi’s Frentus approached the Taurus and helped support her. “Please,” she pleaded next to her.

The tamers began to look around, avoiding her gaze as she continued to bleed.

Peter clenched his fists. “If I find out a single one of you had a potion while she bled to death, nobody outside my team is getting healed anymore.”

The others murmured to each other and finally one of them handed a potion to the Taurus, the Frentus uncorked it for her and held it to her lips as she drank, and her injuries quickly began to heal. “Thank you,” she said to the tamer who handed it to her. She gave a slight nod towards Peter as well.

The tamers who Peter had pulled out of the water slowly began to trickle into the room, one of which was Levi. Gaia followed slowly behind, supporting herself against the wall. Peter rushed over to assist her.

“We got two Levi,” a man said, pointing towards the unconscious Elf and armored feral.

“Good work everyone. Let’s decide whether we’re taming or handing in.”

“Milly?”A tamer standing behind him curiously asked. “Milly?” He stepped towards the group of tamers and primals, scanning their faces.

Each turned away. Finally, one of the tamers shook their head. “Gone.”

“Oh… oh gods. She was my only…” The man collapsed onto his knees. Levi placed his hand on the tamer’s shoulder. 

“We’re sorry for your loss.” He extended his hand towards the two remaining ferals. “It doesn’t bring her back, but you can have your pick.”

The tamer looked towards the two ferals, then back to the floor. Finally, he nodded, and pointed his finger towards the Elf.

Levi nodded and pulled out two stones, capturing the Elf with one and the iron feral with the other, and then handed the Elf over to the tamer.

A few of the tamers began to clap slowly. A few grumbles could be heard as well.

“DId we lose anyone else?” Levi said looking around, his gaze finally falling on his two primals and breathed a sigh of relief.

“None,” Peter said.

Levi looked towards him. “I’m sure in no small part due to you and your Dryad.”

Peter nodded. “Your Taurus was incredible. She held up the golden feral long enough for the situation to turn around.”

“It is great praise from the owner of such a strong fighter,” the Taurus said as she glanced toward Kalista.

Owner. Peter suddenly remembered Fira calling his primals slaves. He mustered a slight smile in response to what was certainly meant to be a complement.

“Let’s roll for the drops,” Levi said. Some of the other tamers had gathered the items and presented them to him. The yellow fur, two planks of wood, and some coins. “Does anyone care for these?” He said as he held up the wood.

Peter looked around. Nobody seemed interested, but then again, nobody seemed to have a convenient way of carrying them.

“I’ll take them if nobody else wants to,” Peter said. Levi nodded and held the two planks towards him. Peter’s hand reached out only to freeze. “This won’t mean I can’t get anything else today, right?”

Levi smiled. “We roll for everything, the only limit is your luck.”

Peter placed the two planks in his large pack. They made the load considerably heavier compared to just having his clothes. Hopefully he would find some use for them.

“Now for the remaining feral. Tame, or hand in?”

All the tamers that spoke said “Hand in.” It seemed nobody was interested in the feral. Levi captured her and put the stone away.

Peter wondered if she would have made a good addition to his team. Probably not. Kalista can take a considerable beating already, and she had far more offensive power than the feral from what he had seen.

He wondered about the Elf. She would have been a strong addition. Strong ranged attacks, which could help provide support for Kalista and keep enemies far away from Gaia. No wonder the other tamers had been excited when they saw her.

“Feels like I already rested, but let’s take an hour’s break.” Levi said. “Take a bath, sit down, have some fun. If you want dry ground you can head back to the previous room.” Levi and a bunch of the others soon left.

“Peter, can you bring me closer to that bush?” Gaia asked. Slowly, he walked her towards one of several bushes in the room. She bent down and pushed some of its branches out of the way. “Aha!” She shouted excitedly as her hand dug in deeper. When it came free, she had a small brown strip in her fingers, with berries attached on one side. “Barkberries!”

She held it in front of her lips and quickly stripped the fruit with her teeth and swallowed it. “Mmm!” She grabbed a few more strips and handed one to Peter and the other to Kalista.

They both ate the fruit. “It’s good,” Peter remarked. “We should grab some to bring back to Shantee.”

“I wouldn’t bother,” a nearby tamer said. He was presently washing his hands and face in the small stream. “Anything that doesn’t drop from a primal or come from treasure containers disappears once you step outside this place.”

“Disappears?” Peter asked curiously. The man nodded. “So if we eat them, they’ll vanish from our stomachs?”

The man blinked a few times before rubbing his chin, and with an incredulous look on his face, left to join the others. With his departure, only Peter and his primals were left within the room.

He glanced towards the water filled stump, then back at his primals. Kalista and Gaia had already begun to undress.